roughage
noun
rough·age
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Definition of roughage
: mostly indigestible material in food (such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables) that promotes elimination of waste from the large intestine : fiber sense 1d
Knowing where to get dietary fiber is important because strong evidence now links roughage to good health, weight management and a reduced risk of colon cancer and other major diseases.— Elizabeth Somer
also
: food containing much indigestible material acting as fiber
That's okay, though: Junk food has a place in a moviegoing diet, as long as you make room for roughage elsewhere. — Ty Burr
Examples of roughage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Conversely, some people with slower gut transit may find that diets very high in roughage leave them feeling totally backed up, able only to pass hard, dried out stools that come out in incomplete pebbles. — SELF, "Why This Registered Dietitian Tells (Some of) Her Patients to Avoid Kale Salads," 30 Nov. 2018 The skins of fruits, beans, potatoes, whole grains, and whole-grain cereal products are all roughage and contain insoluble fiber, according to WebMD. — Jo Yurcaba, Woman's Day, "There's a Reason You Get Really Bad Diarrhea During Your Period," 3 June 2019 Eating a high-fiber diet is also tied to lower colon cancer rates, and soyfoods like edamame and tempeh both have plenty of roughage. 2. — Marygrace Taylor, Good Housekeeping, "Is Soy Good or Bad for You? Here's the Science-Backed Answer," 18 July 2018 Eating a high-fiber diet is also tied to lower colon cancer rates, and soyfoods like edamame and tempeh both have plenty of roughage. — Marygrace Taylor, Good Housekeeping, "Is Soy Good Or Bad For You? We Have The Science-Backed Answer.," 17 May 2017 Its excess roughage prevented me from getting to the addictive chewy bits of sugary Chinese mustard condiment candy at the bottom of the plate. — Michael Nagrant, RedEye Chicago, "Intro Dim Sum is mostly single-note," 12 May 2017 The green chop, which comes from about 5 percent of the acreage, is turned into roughage for livestock, according to Rose. — David Anderson, The Aegis, "Harford farmers expect good corn yields, but prices could be better," 15 Aug. 2017 DAY 1 Two bags of bottles and roughage (plant material that's indigestible and acts as fiber) are delivered to my desk. — Taylore Glynn, Marie Claire, "The Cleanse for the Girl Who's Always Hungry," 7 Mar. 2017 Those desiring a little roughage can choose from a variety of salads, including a kale Caesar ($9) and a My Boy Blue steak salad ($11). — James Patrick Kelly, idahostatesman, "New menu breathes new life into Ranch Club; Grit American tries fresh offerings," 8 June 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'roughage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for roughage
roughage
noun
English Language Learners Definition of roughage
: plant material that cannot be digested but that helps you to digest other food
See the full definition for roughage in the English Language Learners Dictionary
roughage
noun
rough·age
| \ ˈrə-fij
\
\
Kids Definition of roughage
1
: fiber sense 2
2
: food (as bran) containing much indigestible material acting as fiber
roughage
noun
rough·age
| \ ˈrəf-ij
\
\
Medical Definition of roughage
: fiber sense 2
also
: food (as bran) containing much indigestible material acting as fiber
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