meat

noun

ˈmēt 

1

a

: food

especially : solid food as distinguished from drink

b

: the edible part of something as distinguished from its covering (such as a husk or shell)

2

: animal tissue considered especially as food:

a

: flesh sense 2b

also : flesh of a mammal as opposed to fowl or fish

b

: flesh sense 1a

specifically : flesh of domesticated animals

3

archaic : meal entry 1 sense 1

especially : dinner

4

a

: the core of something : heart

b

: pith sense 2b

a novel with meat

5

: favorite pursuit or interest

meated

ˈmē-təd 

adjective

meatless adjective

Synonyms

• flesh

Examples of meat in a Sentence

The restaurant serves a variety of meats.

The real meat of the book is found in its discussion of his economic plan.

Recent Examples on the Web

The two types of iron in food are: Heme iron is found in meat, fish, and poultry. —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 1 Dec. 2024

Combine your favorite dips and spreads with meats, cheese, fruits, and vegetables to create a stunning Christmas charcuterie board. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2024

Visit Rocco’s with a date or a group to enjoy classic steakhouse charm paired with delicious cuts of meat and rare wines and spirits. —Rana Good, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024

This will often involve reducing protein, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and high-fat foods and eating more fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and low-fat or fat-free dairy products.2223 Exercise regularly: Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 30 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mete "food, meal," going back to Old English, going back to Germanic *mati- (whence Old Saxon meti, mat "food," Old High German maz, Old Norse matr, Gothic mats), perhaps going back to Indo-European *mod-i-, derivative of a verbal base *med- "become full," whence Greek mestós "full, satiated"

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing meat

• dark meat
• dead meat
• luncheon meat
• lunch meat
• meat and potatoes
• meat-ax
• meat loaf
• meat market
• meat sweats
• red meat
• variety meat
• white meat

Kids Definition

meat

noun

ˈmēt 

1

a

: something eaten for nourishment

especially : solid food as distinguished from drink

b

: the edible part of something as distinguished from the covering (as a shell or husk)

walnut meat

2

: animal and especially mammal flesh used as food