Word
dietary
Phoneticsdi·etary
US/ˈdaɪəˌtɛɹi/
UK/dˈaɪətəɹi/
Definitions
01relating to food and health
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
adj. relating to the food you eat or to a special diet you follow for health or religious reasons.
adj. pertaining to the intake of food or to specific nutritional regulations and restrictions.
“The restaurant menu clearly marks any dishes that meet common dietary requirements.”
“The doctor suggested several dietary changes to help manage his high blood pressure without relying solely on medication.”
Usage
Usually placed before a noun, such as 'dietary habits', 'dietary needs', or 'dietary fiber'.
Synonyms
02a fixed meal plan
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Formal · Technical
n. a fixed plan for what people in a place like a hospital or prison should eat.
n. a prescribed system or schedule of food provided to the inhabitants of an institution.
“The hospital dietary was designed to provide patients with balanced nutrition during recovery.”
“Historical records from the nineteenth-century prison show a strict dietary consisting largely of bread, gruel, and occasional servings of meat.”
Teaching tip
This noun sense is rare in modern conversation; learners will almost always encounter 'dietary' as an adjective.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “dietary” in context.
Real-World Examples
“For many people, meat and dairy products are important dietary sources of B12.” “In other words, ecology may have helped shape both dietary behavior and human biology.” Etymology
From Medieval Latin diētārium (“book prescribing diet”), from Latin diaeta (“diet”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/dietary