nutritious

IPA/njuˈtrɪʃəs/
KK[nutrˈɪʃəs]IPA/nuˈtrɪʃəs/

nutritious — adjective

  • nutritiouspositive
  • more nutritiouscomparative
  • most nutritioussuperlative

1. describes food or drink that provides the essential substances your body needs t

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes food or drink that provides the essential substances your body needs to stay healthy, grow, and function properly

Example

The school lunch program now serves more nutritious meals with fresh vegetables.

collocation: nutritious meal

Aarav chose a nutritious breakfast of eggs, fruit, and whole-grain toast.

collocation: nutritious breakfast

Common collocations
  • nutritious meal
  • nutritious breakfast
  • nutritious lunch
  • nutritious dinner
  • nutritious snack
  • nutritious diet
  • nutritious ingredients
  • highly nutritious
  • packed with nutritious food
Synonyms
  • nourishing

    Very close in meaning, but nourishing emphasises a sense of satisfaction and sustenance, whereas nutritious focuses on the measurable content of vitamins and minerals.

  • wholesome

    Suggests food that is both nutritious and natural, without artificial additives — carries a rustic or traditional feel.

  • healthy

    Much broader term — can describe diet, lifestyle, skin, or appearance, not just a food's nutrient content.

Antonyms
  • unhealthy

    The opposite in terms of effects on the body, though unhealthy food can still contain some nutrients.

  • unwholesome

    Emphasises artificial or unnatural qualities in food.

Grammar Patterns

nutritious + noun (attributive)

be/seem/taste + nutritious (predicative)

Usage Note

Unlike 'healthy', which can refer to diet, lifestyle, or appearance, 'nutritious' describes only the food or drink itself and its content of helpful substances.

Common Mistakes

This yoga class is very nutritious for my mind.
This yoga class is very beneficial for my mind.
nutritious only applies to food and drink, not activities or experiences.
I need to eat more nutritious.
I need to eat more nutritious food.
nutritious is an adjective and must modify a noun.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Nutritious, nourishing, healthy, and wholesome all describe food that is good for you, but each highlights a different aspect. Nutritious focuses on the measurable nutrient content — vitamins, minerals, protein — in the food itself. Nourishing adds a sense of satisfaction and warmth; a bowl of lentil soup can be both nutritious and nourishing, whereas plain steamed spinach is nutritious but not especially filling. Healthy is the broadest of the four, covering diet, lifestyle habits, and even appearance beyond food. Wholesome suggests naturalness and a lack of artificial additives, often with a traditional or homemade feel. For example, a fortified breakfast cereal is nutritious but not wholesome, while a root-vegetable stew from a farm kitchen is both.

nutritious ↗nourishing ↗healthy ↗wholesome ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • nutritious food
  • nutritious meal
  • nutritious diet
  • nutritious snack
  • nutritious ingredients
  • nutritious option

Adverbs

  • highly nutritious
  • extremely nutritious
  • very nutritious
  • packed with nutritious

Phrases

  • nutritious and delicious
  • nutritious and filling
  • quick and nutritious
  • simple but nutritious

Etymology

LatinEnglish

From Latin 'nutricius', meaning 'that suckles or nourishes', derived from 'nutrix' (a nurse). The word entered English in the early 1600s through Late Latin 'nutritius', originally describing anything that feeds or promotes growth.