nutrient
adjective
nu·tri·ent
| \ ˈnü-trē-ənt
, ˈnyü-\
, ˈnyü-\
Definition of nutrient
(Entry 1 of 2)
: furnishing nourishment
nutrient
nounDefinition of nutrient (Entry 2 of 2)
: a substance or ingredient that promotes growth, provides energy, and maintains life
Tomatoes contain a lot of nutrients, among them vitamins C and B-complex and the minerals iron and potassium. — Mayo Clinic Health Letter Most frugivores do not depend exclusively on fruits, because fruits tend to be deficient in certain nutrients such as protein, and because they are only seasonally available.— Robert Lee Smith Sandy soils need organic amendments to help them retain nutrients and water, which otherwise leach out quickly. — Sunset
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Synonyms & Antonyms for nutrient
Synonyms: Adjective
nourishing, nutritional, nutritious, nutritive
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of nutrient in a Sentence
Adjective
a breakfast drink enriched with nutrient proteins and vitaminsNoun
Fruits and vegetables have important nutrients. The soil is low in nutrients. You need more nutrients in your diet.
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
More upwelling means more nutrient resupply, which means more biological activity, researchers say. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Exoplanets could have better conditions for life than Earth, study says," 23 Aug. 2019 This warm, nutrient-poor environment from the blob and El Niño was unlivable for whatever kelp wasn’t ravaged by the sea urchins. — Richie Hertzberg, National Geographic, "California's disappearing sea snails carry a grim climate warning," 20 Aug. 2019 Bone meal was a traditional nutrient people used to put at the bottom of planting areas to provide phosphorous to bulbs. — Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, "It’s almost time to plant spring bulbs: Tulips, daffodils and ... garlic?," 15 Aug. 2019 This breakfast hits the macro-nutrient goals of protein, whole grain and healthful fats, and the fruit adds vitamins. — Melissa Rayworth, Houston Chronicle, "Healthful breakfast on a busy school morning? It’s not so hard," 14 Aug. 2019 Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for photosynthesis and growth, so returning as much of it to the tree as possible before a leaf falls helps ensure that the plant is well-stocked for next year’s cycle. — Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, "Watch Leaves Change Color in a Matter of Seconds," 14 Aug. 2019 Sometimes these nutrient-containing additions have to be decomposed or converted to the way plants can absorb or remove it from the soil or water. — Tom Maccubbin, orlandosentinel.com, "Summer is a good time to add sod — in sunny spots," 10 Aug. 2019 And the analysis does not reflect environmental consequences of human use of these lands, such as soil erosion, nutrient runoff or overuse of water. — Robert B. Richardson, The Conversation, "Resource depletion is a serious problem, but ‘footprint’ estimates don’t tell us much about it," 24 July 2019 Past research already suggests the prolific migrators could reach nutrient-rich areas within the first year of invading Lake Michigan through the Chicago River. — Tony Briscoe, chicagotribune.com, "Asian carp have never breached a body of freshwater the size of Lake Michigan. Here’s the bizarre way they could survive and thrive in the world’s fifth largest lake.," 12 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
That June forecast was based on measurements of fertilizer and other nutrients carried by Midwestern floods to the Mississippi River. — Washington Post, "Did Hurricane Barry prevent a near-record ‘dead zone’?," 1 Aug. 2019 In the North Atlantic, for instance, the growth of phytoplankton tends to be limited by nutrients other than iron, meaning that adding more iron to the water probably won’t give them that much of a boost. — Chelsea Harvey, Scientific American, "Humans May Be Accidentally Geoengineering the Oceans," 15 July 2019 Given the presence of other critical nutrients already there, Wordsworth says, a constrained area under the aerogel, maybe lightly pressurized, could even support life. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "Headed to Mars? Pack Some Aerogel—You Know, for Terraforming," 15 July 2019 Other challenging nutrients are vitamin D, vitamin B12 and taurine - an amino acid found in mammalian tissues (humans and dogs can synthesize it from plant sources). — Marta Zaraska, chicagotribune.com, "Be leery about vegetarian diets for your pets," 10 July 2019 These sugars generally come in more modest amounts, and alongside a plethora of other good-for-you nutrients like fiber or protein, board-certified health and wellness coach Kim Larson, R.D.N., tells SELF. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "How Much Do You Really Need to Worry About Sugar?," 27 June 2019 The rain has washed nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients off farmland throughout the basin, but especially in the Midwest. — Mark Schleifstein, nola.com, "Near record low-oxygen ‘dead zone’ predicted for Gulf," 10 June 2019 Swapping out meat for veggies, beans, and tofu can trim your carbon footprint by as much as 25 percent, as well as boosting your health with more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. — The Seattle Times, "Little changes can make a big difference in climate change," 24 Sep. 2018 The plasma contains protein and other nutrients that are supposed to help stimulate skin cell growth and collagen. — Rebecca Jennings, Vox, "“Vampire facials” are massively popular. And — surprise! — potentially dangerous.," 14 Sep. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nutrient.' 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 nutrient
nutrient
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of nutrient
technical
: a substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow
See the full definition for nutrient in the English Language Learners Dictionary
nutrient
noun
nu·tri·ent
| \ ˈnü-trē-ənt
, ˈnyü-\
, ˈnyü-\
Kids Definition of nutrient
: a substance that is needed for healthy growth, development, and functioning
Fruits and vegetables have important nutrients. Plants get nutrients from the soil.
nutrient
adjective
nu·tri·ent
| \ ˈn(y)ü-trē-ənt
\
\
Medical Definition of nutrient
(Entry 1 of 2)
: furnishing nourishment
nutrient
nounMedical Definition of nutrient (Entry 2 of 2)
: a nutritive substance or ingredient