roughage
UK[ˈrʌfɪdʒ]US[ˈrʌfɪdʒ]
n
The coarse, indigestible parts of food, such as bran or vegetable fibers, that aid digestion by adding bulk.
Morpheme Breakdown
rough
age
rough
coarse
age
collective noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'roughage' is a relatively modern English compound, formed in the 19th century from the native English adjective 'rough' and the noun-forming suffix '-age'. 'Rough' descends from Proto-Germanic rūhaz, carrying the core sense of shagginess and uneven texture, which perfectly describes the coarse, fibrous material in food. The suffix '-age', entering English via Old French from Latin -aticum, denotes a collective condition or result. Thus, the literal construction "a collective condition of coarseness" evolved into the specific, abstract nutritional term for the indigestible plant matter that provides bulk to the diet, highlighting its physical texture as its defining characteristic.
Analysis
Structure: rough (coarse) + age (collective noun suffix)
rough: From Old English rūh, meaning "shaggy, hairy, coarse." Its functional role is to convey the quality of being coarse or fibrous.
age: A suffix of Latin origin (via Old French -age), used to form nouns indicating a collective entity, condition, or result.
Examples
A diet high in fruits and vegetables provides essential roughage.
Doctors often recommend increasing roughage intake to improve digestive health.
Whole grains are a better source of roughage than refined grains.