micronutrient
UK[ˌmaɪkrəʊˈnjuːtrɪənt]US[ˌmaɪkroʊˈnuːtrɪənt]
n
A chemical element or substance that is essential in minute amounts for the growth and health of a living organism.
n
Specifically, a vitamin or mineral required in small quantities in the human diet.
Morpheme Breakdown
micro
nutrient
micro
extremely small
nutrient
nourishing substance
Etymology
The term 'micronutrient' is a modern scientific compound, formed in English during the early 20th century as nutritional science advanced. It logically combines the Greek-derived prefix 'micro-', meaning 'small', with the Latin-derived word 'nutrient', meaning 'a nourishing substance'. This construction directly reflects its precise meaning: a nutrient required not in bulk, but in trace or minute amounts, such as vitamins and minerals, in contrast to macronutrients like proteins or carbohydrates. The word's formation follows a clear, descriptive pattern common in technical vocabulary, where classical roots are assembled to create new, specific terms.
Analysis
Structure: micro (extremely small) + nutrient (nourishing substance)
- micro: From Greek 'mikros', meaning 'small'. In English, a combining form denoting something extremely small in scale or quantity.
- nutrient: From Latin 'nutrient-', 'nutriens', present participle of 'nutrire', meaning 'to nourish'. In English, a noun-forming suffix indicating a substance that provides nourishment.
Examples
Iron and vitamin C are both essential micronutrients for the human body.
Soil depletion can lead to crops deficient in vital micronutrients.
The nutrition label lists the amounts of both macronutrients and micronutrients.