# dietary

/ˈdaɪəˌtɛɹi/ (US) · /dˈaɪətəɹi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dietary
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. relating to food and health

adjective · CEFR B2

relating to the food you eat or to a special diet you follow for health or religious reasons.

For teachers: 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'.

### 2. a fixed meal plan

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

a fixed plan for what people in a place like a hospital or prison should eat.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- She has several dietary restrictions because of her allergies.
- The restaurant provides a separate menu for guests with specific dietary needs, including vegan and gluten-free options.
- Modern healthcare emphasizes that dietary habits established in childhood often dictate long-term metabolic health and susceptibility to chronic conditions in later life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.