Etymology Map
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Meat

2 stages from Old English to English.

Today it means the flesh of an animal eaten as food

Where does the word "meat" come from? It comes from Old English mete, adopted directly into English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
mete
Old English · medieval
"food"
any food, as opposed to drink; the phrase 'meat and drink' preserves the old sense
2
Stage 2 of 2
meat
English · 1300s
"animal flesh as food"
narrowed to animal flesh, while 'sweetmeat' and the 'meat offerings' (of grain) in the 1611 King James Bible keep the older meaning
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Read the full story

Meat’s story begins in Old English: mete meant “food.” Any food, as opposed to drink; the phrase 'meat and drink' preserves the old sense. It reached English by 1300s as meat. Narrowed to animal flesh, while 'sweetmeat' and the 'meat offerings' (of grain) in the 1611 King James Bible keep the older meaning. Today, meat means the flesh of an animal eaten as food.