nutritional
Meaning
Relating to the process of providing or obtaining the food necessary for health and growth.
Containing substances that help your body to be healthy.
Structure
Usage
The nutritional value of fresh vegetables is very high.
This label provides all the necessary nutritional information.
She is studying to become a nutritional therapist.
Etymology
The word 'nutritional' is built upon the Latin verb nutrire, meaning "to nourish or suckle." This root is shared with words like 'nurture' and 'nourish,' all pointing to the fundamental act of providing life-sustaining food. The addition of the noun-forming suffix '-ion' created 'nutrition,' the abstract process or science of nourishment. Finally, the adjectival suffix '-al' was appended, transforming the noun into an adjective that describes anything pertaining to or possessing the qualities of good nourishment. Thus, the term elegantly traces a path from the concrete act of feeding to the modern, science-informed concept of dietary health.
Analysis
- nutrit: From Latin nutrire (to nourish, suckle, feed). This root conveys the core concept of providing sustenance. - ion: A suffix of Latin origin used to form nouns denoting an action, process, or state. - al: A suffix of Latin origin (-alis) used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by."