diet
diet
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "diet" is /ˈdaɪ.ət/.
dai: /daɪ/ - The "di" makes a diphthong sound, similar to "eye."
et: /ət/ - The "et" makes a schwa sound followed by a "t."
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: diet
Plural Noun: diets
Verb (base form): diet
Verb (third-person singular present): diets
Verb (present participle): dieting
Verb (past tense/past participle): dieted
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The sum of food consumed by an organism or group of organisms. This can refer to the typical food and drink regularly provided or consumed, often in the context of health or nutrition.
Synonyms: nutrition, sustenance, provisions, intake, regimen
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "starvation" or "fasting" are related but not direct opposites of the sum of food consumed.)
Definition 2: A special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.
Synonyms: eating plan, regimen, weight-loss plan, restricted intake
Antonyms: overeating, binging, unrestricted eating
Verb
Definition 1: To restrict oneself to small amounts or special kinds of food in order to lose weight or for medical reasons.
Synonyms: slim down, reduce, fast, restrict food, watch one's weight
Antonyms: gorge, overeat, binge, indulge, feast
Adjective
Definition 1: (Used informally, often in product names) Referring to a version of a food or drink that has reduced sugar or calories.
Synonyms: light, low-calorie, sugar-free, reduced-calorie
Antonyms: regular, full-fat, full-sugar
Examples of Use
Books:
"The first step towards eating well is understanding your current diet and identifying areas for improvement." (From a popular nutrition guide, likely published in the past few years)
"In The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan explores the complexities of the modern American diet and its impact on health and the environment." (Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, 2006)
Newspapers:
"New research suggests that a plant-based diet may significantly reduce the risk of heart disease." (The New York Times)
"Local schools are implementing new programs to improve the nutritional quality of student diets." (The Standard)
Online Publications:
"Is the Mediterranean diet truly the healthiest eating plan? Experts weigh in." (WebMD)
"Celebrity trainer shares tips for maintaining a balanced diet while traveling." (Vogue.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series: In an episode of "The Good Doctor," a patient's unusual symptoms are traced back to a highly restrictive diet they were following. (ABC)
Film: A character in the movie "Super Size Me" drastically alters his diet to consume only fast food for a month. (Morgan Spurlock, Super Size Me, 2004)
Podcast: "On this week's episode of 'Feel Better, Live More,' Dr. Rangan Chatterjee discusses the importance of a diverse gut microbiome and how your diet affects it." (Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, "Feel Better, Live More" Podcast)
Social Media (Instagram Post): "Just started a new low-carb diet! Wish me luck on this journey to better health. #diet #healthylifestyle" (Posted by @fitfoodie_journey)
General Public Discourse:
"My doctor told me I need to go on a special diet to lower my cholesterol." (Common conversation, ongoing)
"Have you seen the new diet soda commercials? They're really pushing the 'zero sugar' angle." (Casual conversation, ongoing)
"After all the holiday feasting, I'm definitely going to have to diet for a bit." (Common colloquialism, ongoing)
"The national diet is shifting towards more processed foods, which is a concern for public health." (Public policy discussion, ongoing)
10 Quotes Using Diet
"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." (Mark Twain)
"No disease that can be treated by diet should be treated with any other means." (Maimonides)
"Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments." (Bethenny Frankel)
"I've been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I've lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet." (Erma Bombeck)
"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet, isn't much better than tedious disease." (Alexander Pope)
"He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors." (Chinese Proverb)
"The second day of a diet is always easier than the first. By the second day you're off it." (Jackie Gleason)
"Every single diet I ever fell off of was because of potatoes and gravy of some sort." (Dolly Parton)
"Diets, like clothes, should be tailored to you." (Joan Rivers)
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." (Thomas Edison)
Etymology
The word "diet" has a fascinating journey through languages!
It ultimately comes from the ancient Greek word "diaita," which originally meant something much broader than just food. "Diaita" referred to a whole "way of life," a "regimen," or even a "dwelling." It was about how one generally conducted their life, often with a focus on health and well-being as prescribed by a physician.
This Greek word then traveled into Latin as "diaeta," keeping that sense of a "prescribed way of life" or "daily allowance."
When the word arrived in English in the 13th century, primarily through Old French, it first referred to "regular food" or "habitual nourishment." So, its earliest meaning in English was already related to what we eat, but it still held a broader sense of the customary food and drink consumed by someone, not necessarily a restriction for weight loss.
Interestingly, there's a separate, but related, meaning of "diet" that refers to a legislative assembly (like the "National Diet of Japan"). This comes from a slightly different path, where the Latin "diaeta" (meaning a daily allowance or regimen) became associated with the Latin word "dies" meaning "day." This led to the idea of a "day" set aside for an assembly or meeting.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Diet
Go on a diet: To begin a special course of restricted food, usually for weight loss.
Be on a diet: To be currently following a special course of restricted food.
Fall off the diet wagon: To abandon one's diet.
Diet food/drink: Food or drink that is low in calories, fat, or sugar.
A balanced diet: A diet containing all the necessary nutrients in appropriate proportions.
A staple diet: The principal or most important food consumed by a person or group.
To diet down: To reduce one's body fat through dietary restrictions (often used in bodybuilding).
A crash diet: A severe and often unhealthy diet followed for a short period to lose weight quickly.
Mind your diet: Be careful about what you eat.
Food for thought (idiom using a synonym for diet's general food sense): Something to think seriously about.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of diet from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
