dietary: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
moderately commonneutral
Quick answer
What does “dietary” mean?
Relating to the food that a person or animal eats.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to the food that a person or animal eats.
Pertaining to the kinds and quantities of food consumed, often with implications for health, nutrition, or specific restrictions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is the same in both variants.
Connotations
In both dialects, it often carries a health or medical connotation.
Frequency
Similarly frequent in both British and American English, with slight preference in American English due to health discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “dietary” in a Sentence
attributive use: dietary + nounpredicative use: be + dietary + for + purposeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dietary” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The dietary guidelines recommend five portions of fruit and vegetables daily.
- She has specific dietary requirements due to her allergies.
American English
- Dietary supplements are popular in the US.
- He follows a strict dietary plan for weight loss.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the food industry to describe products, labels, or regulations related to food content.
Academic
Frequent in nutrition science, medicine, and public health research.
Everyday
Common in conversations about health, eating habits, and food preferences.
Technical
Used in medical contexts to specify dietary interventions or requirements for patients.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dietary”
- Mispronouncing as /daɪˈtɛri/ instead of /ˈdaɪ.ə.tər.i/
- Confusing with 'dietetic', which is more specific to therapeutic diets.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it can also refer to the diet of animals, as in 'dietary needs of pets'.
Yes, but it's less common. As a noun, it can mean a system of diet or a set of dietary rules.
'Dietary' is broader and relates to diet in general, while 'dietetic' is more technical and often refers to therapeutic or scientifically planned diets.
In American English, it's typically pronounced as /ˈdaɪ.ə.ter.i/, with the stress on the first syllable.
Relating to the food that a person or animal eats.
Dietary is usually neutral in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'diet' + 'ary' – like a diary for your diet, tracking what you eat.
Conceptual Metaphor
Dietary as a blueprint for health; food as fuel with specific dietary guidelines.
Practice
Quiz
What does 'dietary' primarily relate to?