foodstuff

noun

food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
specifically : the raw material of food before or after processing

Examples of foodstuff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The top-performing subsectors were semiconductors, foodstuffs, and technical hardware equipment. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Milk and other dairy products, non-dairy milk (such as soy and almond), and some cereals are common foodstuffs fortified with vitamin D2. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 So Terrill set about painting still lifes: sensual arrangements of foodstuffs and flowers set against ebullient wallpapers and bright serapes (a nod to his Mexican heritage). Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 When the waters are low, the heavy boats, laden with metal and with foodstuffs, run aground on the sandbanks of the river. Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 The past 12 months have provided people with a whole new schema of aesthetic nomenclature, each foodstuff connected to some kind of inherent moral quality. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2023 Shortages of carbohydrates, above other foodstuffs, were deemed most likely to trigger civil unrest in the United Kingdom. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 Judith Amores Other groups have experimented with programming foodstuffs to enable food to transform physically. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 20 Oct. 2023 Russian military supply chains were notoriously lacking, and soldiers had to resort to buying foodstuffs from her. James Verini Paolo Pellegrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foodstuff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foodstuff was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near foodstuff

Cite this Entry

“Foodstuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foodstuff. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

foodstuff

noun
food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
especially : a specific nutrient (as protein or fat)

Medical Definition

foodstuff

noun
food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
especially : a specific nutrient (as a fat or protein)

More from Merriam-Webster on foodstuff

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