Library / English Dictionary

DIET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods)

Synonyms:

diet; dieting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("diet" is a kind of...):

fast; fasting (abstaining from food)

Derivation:

diet (eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight)

diet (follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons)

dietary (of or relating to the diet)

dietician (a specialist in the study of diet and nutrition)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The usual food and drink consumed by an organism (person or animal)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("diet" is a kind of...):

fare (the food and drink that are regularly served or consumed)

Domain category:

animal; animate being; beast; brute; creature; fauna (a living organism characterized by voluntary movement)

Derivation:

dietary; dietetic; dietetical (of or relating to the diet)

dietician (a specialist in the study of diet and nutrition)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A prescribed selection of foods

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("diet" is a kind of...):

fare (the food and drink that are regularly served or consumed)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "diet"):

allergy diet (a diet designed to avoid the foods that you are allergic to)

balanced diet (a diet that contains adequate amounts of all the necessary nutrients required for healthy growth and activity)

bland diet; ulcer diet (a diet of foods that are not irritating)

diabetic diet (a diet designed to help control the symptoms of diabetes)

dietary supplement (something added to complete a diet or to make up for a dietary deficiency)

carbo loading; carbohydrate loading (a diet of foods high in starch that increases carbohydrate reserves in muscles)

gluten-free diet (diet prescribed to treat celiac disease; eliminates such foods as wheat and rye and oats and beans and cabbage and turnips and cucumbers that are rich in gluten)

high-protein diet (a diet high in plant and animal proteins; used to treat malnutrition or to increase muscle mass)

high-vitamin diet; vitamin-deficiency diet (a diet designed to patients with vitamin deficiencies)

light diet (diet prescribed for bedridden or convalescent people; does not include fried or highly seasoned foods)

liquid diet (a diet of foods that can be served in liquid or strained form (plus custards or puddings); prescribed after certain kinds of surgery)

low-fat diet (a diet containing limited amounts of fat and stressing foods high in carbohydrates; used in treatment of some gallbladder conditions)

low-salt diet; low-sodium diet; salt-free diet (a diet that limits the intake of salt (sodium chloride); often used in treating hypertension or edema or certain other disorders)

obesity diet; reducing diet (a diet designed to help you lose weight (especially fat))

pap; soft diet; spoon food (a diet that does not require chewing; advised for those with intestinal disorders)

vegetarianism (a diet excluding all meat and fish)

Derivation:

dietician (a specialist in the study of diet and nutrition)

dietetical; dietetic; dietary (of or relating to the diet)

diet (follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons)

diet (eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A legislative assembly in certain countries (e.g., Japan)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("diet" is a kind of...):

general assembly; law-makers; legislative assembly; legislative body; legislature (persons who make or amend or repeal laws)

Domain region:

Japan; Nihon; Nippon (a constitutional monarchy occupying the Japanese Archipelago; a world leader in electronics and automobile manufacture and ship building)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Eat sparingly, for health reasons or to lose weight

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "diet" is one way to...):

fast (abstain from eating)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

diet (the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods))

diet (a prescribed selection of foods)

dietary (a regulated daily food allowance)

dieter (a person who diets)

dieting (the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Follow a regimen or a diet, as for health reasons

Example:

He has high blood pressure and must stick to a low-salt diet

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "diet" is one way to...):

fast (abstain from certain foods, as for religious or medical reasons)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

diet (the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods))

diet (a prescribed selection of foods)

dietary (a regulated daily food allowance)

dieter (a person who diets)

dieting (the act of restricting your food intake (or your intake of particular foods))

Credits

 Context examples: 

Other causes include other diseases, side effects of medicines, and a lack of certain nutrients in your diet.

(Blood Disorders, NIH)

For example, a special diet may be used instead of anticancer drugs as a treatment for cancer.

(Alternative medicine, NCI Dictionary)

If they partly block your intestines, a diet low in fiber can allow food to move easily through the affected area.

(Adhesions, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Oriental medicine includes acupuncture, diet, herbal therapy, meditation, physical exercise, and massage.

(Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, NCI Dictionary)

There is good evidence that eating a diet with lots of vegetables and fruits is healthy and lowers risks of certain diseases.

(Antioxidants, NIH: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

It uses diet, herbal medicines, exercise, meditation, breathing, physical therapy, and other methods.

(Ayurveda, NCI Dictionary)

Control of methionine intake and supplementing folic acid and vitamin B12 in the diet are used to lower homocysteine levels.

(Biosynthesis of Cysteine Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Exercises, a change in diet, and some medicines also can help.

(Balance Problems, NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)

This is done to test new diets, drugs, and procedures for use in cancer prevention and treatment.

(Azoxymethane, NCI Dictionary)

Treatments include medicines to control dizziness, limiting salt in your diet, and taking water pills.

(Meniere's Disease, NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)