nutrition

Where does the word "nutrition" come from? It comes from Latin nutrire, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Nutrition’s story begins in Latin: nutrire meant “to feed, to nourish.” The root of 'nourish', 'nurse' and 'nutrient'. Within Latin, it grew into nutritio by ancient. A nourishing, a feeding, from nutrire. It reached English by 1500s as nutrition. Settled as the English word for the process of providing food for growth and health. Today, nutrition means the process of taking in and using food for growth and health.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient nutrire "to feed, to nourish", the root of 'nourish', 'nurse' and 'nutrient'.
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient nutritio "a nourishing, a feeding", a nourishing, a feeding, from nutrire.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s nutrition "the process of providing food necessary for growth and health", settled as the English word for the process of providing food for growth and health.