meat

noun

ˈmēt How to pronounce meat (audio)
Synonyms of meatnext
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 How to pronounce meat (audio)
adjective
meatless adjective

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cathy: The leading motivation was access to sustainable meat. —Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024 Using fingers, distribute paste under skin over breast, thigh, and drumstick meat. —Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024 Smoky tender venison skewers echo the meats her father hunted. —Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 4 Nov. 2024 Lentils can also replace meat in chili, tacos, and curries. 2. —Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for meat 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of meat was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing meat

Dictionary Entries Near meat

measuring worm

meat

meat-and-potatoes

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Meat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

meat

noun
ˈmēt How to pronounce meat (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on meat

Nglish: Translation of meat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of meat for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about meat

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