diet
Pluraldiets
Pluraldiets
- 1The usual food and drink that a person or animal takes in.
A panda's diet is made up almost entirely of bamboo.
Fresh fruit is an important part of a healthy diet.
UsageSay a diet of fish, or a diet rich in fruit.
Similarfood, nourishment
Note
- 2
- 3To change what you eat in order to lose or gain weight or get healthier.
She has been dieting for three months and feels much better.
If you want to lose weight, you need to diet and exercise.
Similarslim
- 4Made with less fat, sugar, salt, or calories than the normal version.
She only drinks diet soda now.
They switched to diet snacks to cut down on sugar.
UsageUsually before a noun, as in diet soda.
Similarlow-calorie, light, sugar-free
Oppositeregular
Note
- 5The usual things a person regularly takes in, such as books, shows, or music.
He lives on a steady diet of action movies.
A diet of constant bad news can wear anyone down.
UsageSay a steady diet of something.
Similarfare
Note
- 6A formal meeting of leaders or lawmakers who gather to make decisions.
Like a big meeting where leaders come together to make important decisions.
The national diet voted to raise taxes this year.
Leaders from every province met at the diet to settle the dispute.
Similarassembly, parliament, legislature, council, congress
Note
Less common meanings
- 7Being a smaller or simpler version of something, with some parts taken away.
Like a smaller copy of something, with some bits left out.
The new app is just a diet version of the original.
Critics called the sequel a diet copy of the first film.
UsageIt is usually not praise: a diet version is a weaker copy.
Similarlite
Note
- 8To control what someone else eats, often to improve their health.
When all signs of effusion, dulness, pain, œgophony, and cough had disappeared he was dieted, stimulated, and tonicked.
1887, Medical Press and CircularHere, dieted means given a controlled plan of what to eat.they will diet themselves, feed and live alone.
Note
- 9
- 10To eat or sit down to your meals.
Note
- 11To give food to a person or animal.
Note
- 12A court date set for a criminal case to be heard.
- 13A church service or religious duty carried out by a minister in Scotland.
Showing meanings only.
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Origins
It came through Old French from Latin and Greek, where a Greek word díaita meant a way of living.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts
- Diet came through Old French from Latin and Greek. en.wiktionary.org
- Greek díaita meant a way of living. en.wiktionary.org
It came from Old French and Medieval Latin verbs meaning to diet.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts
- The English verb derives from Old French and Medieval Latin verbs. en.wiktionary.org
- The Old French verb meant to diet. fr.wikisource.org
- The Medieval Latin verb meant to diet. archive.org
It came through Old French from Latin and Greek, where the Greek word díaita meant a way of living or a decision; the Latin word diēs (day) also shaped it.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts
- The word came through Old French from Latin and ultimately Greek. en.wiktionary.org
- Greek díaita meant a way of living or a decision. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin diēs meant day and influenced the word's development. en.wikipedia.org