dietary
DY-uh-tehr-ee
/ˈdaɪətəri/
Relating to the kinds of food that a person or animal habitually eats.
It describes the rules or patterns of eating rather than the food itself.
The story behind the word. The Greek 'diaita' didn't just mean what you ate; it meant your whole 'way of life', including exercise and sleep. It was only later that the focus narrowed specifically to food.
Word relationships
- nutritional: Focuses on the nutrients within the food rather than the habit of eating it.
Commonly confused with
- dietetic: Dietetic refers specifically to the scientific study of diet and nutrition.
Word family
- diet (noun/verb): The food habitually eaten; to restrict oneself to small amounts of food.
- dietitian (noun): An expert on diet and nutrition.
Collocations
- dietary fiber
- dietary restrictions
- dietary habits
Example sentences
- "The Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated every five years to reflect new scientific evidence." Official government health advice. (USDA Official Website)
- "Please let us know if you have any specific dietary requirements before we take your order." A waiter asking about food allergies.
Memory hook
Think of a 'diary' of what you 'eat'—a dietary log. Dietary is the 'diary' of your 'eat'-ing.
When not to use
Do not use it as a noun (e.g., 'I am on a dietary' is incorrect; use 'diet').
Fun facts
- In the Middle Ages, a 'diet' could also mean a formal deliberative assembly, like the Diet of Worms.
Explore more words
nutritional, herbivorous, caloric, habitual, seasonal, herbivore
Also appears in
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