food
A1Neutral (used across all registers from formal to informal)
Definition
Meaning
Any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink to maintain life and growth.
Can refer to intellectual or spiritual nourishment; often used metaphorically (food for thought). Also used informally to mean something particularly enjoyable or satisfying.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Uncountable noun when referring to food in general; countable when referring to particular types (e.g., 'Italian foods'). Distinction from 'dish' (a prepared item) and 'meal' (an eating occasion).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical differences. British English may use 'takeaway food' where American English uses 'takeout food'. The word 'tuck' for sweets/snacks is chiefly British.
Connotations
Similar core connotations. 'Food' in American advertising/menus sometimes emphasizes variety/abundance more explicitly.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
have/eat foodcook/prepare foodbuy/get foodorder foodrun out of foodlive on foodfood for (an event)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “food for thought”
- “be off one's food”
- “have a lot on one's plate (figurative)”
- “comfort food”
- “soul food”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Food industry, food retail, food technology, food security, food logistics.
Academic
Food science, food web (ecology), food anthropology, food security studies.
Everyday
Grocery shopping, cooking, dining out, discussing diets and preferences.
Technical
Food chemistry, food preservation, food microbiology, nutritional analysis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A – 'food' is not a verb. Use 'feed'.
- The charity works to food the hungry. (INCORRECT) -> feed the hungry.
American English
- N/A – 'food' is not a verb. Use 'feed'.
- He needed to food his dog. (INCORRECT) -> feed his dog.
adverb
British English
- N/A – 'food' does not have an adverb form.
American English
- N/A – 'food' does not have an adverb form.
adjective
British English
- Food industry
- food safety standards
- food colouring
- a food mixer
American English
- Food truck
- food court
- food processor
- food pyramid
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like Italian food.
- We need to buy some food.
- Is there any food in the fridge?
- The food was very good.
- She's passionate about healthy food.
- The price of food has gone up recently.
- They offered us food and drink.
- My favourite food is pizza.
- The seminar gave us plenty of food for thought.
- There's a growing demand for organic food.
- Food waste is a major environmental issue.
- The festival had food stalls from all over the world.
- His new book provides rich food for thought on the ethics of technology.
- The country's reliance on imported food makes it vulnerable to supply shocks.
- Food anthropology examines the role of eating in cultural rituals.
- The legislation aims to improve food labelling for consumers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FOOd is what you need to be in a good mOOd.
Conceptual Metaphor
IDEAS ARE FOOD (food for thought), EXPERIENCES ARE FOOD (he devoured the book), LOVE IS FOOD (she's my comfort food).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'meal' and 'food' interchangeably. A 'meal' is an occasion (breakfast, dinner), while 'food' is the substance. The Russian word 'еда' maps closely to 'food'. Note that 'продукты' are 'groceries' or 'foodstuffs', not 'food' in general.
Common Mistakes
- Using a plural verb with uncountable 'food' (e.g., 'The food are ready' -> 'The food is ready'). Confusing 'food' with 'dish' ('We ordered three foods' -> 'We ordered three dishes').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'food' is metaphorical?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually uncountable when referring to the general substance ('We need food'). It becomes countable when referring to particular types or varieties ('The supermarket stocks foods from many different countries').
'Food' is the general substance. A 'dish' is a specific prepared item (e.g., pasta, a curry). A 'meal' is an occasion when food is eaten (e.g., breakfast, dinner) or the food consumed on that occasion.
No. The verb is 'to feed'. Using 'food' as a verb (e.g., 'I will food the cat') is incorrect.
It is an idiom meaning something that makes you think carefully or seriously about a subject.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Drink
A1 · 49 words · Common words for food, drink and meals.