foodstuff

noun

food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
specifically : the raw material of food before or after processing

Examples of foodstuff in a Sentence

stocked up on candles and foodstuffs before the hurricane
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And so will the shortages in foodstuffs and housing caused by wholesale expulsions of workers. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025 Many local chefs and restaurants source ingredients from the farm, which has grown foodstuffs requested by area chefs for special preparations. Penny E Schwartz, Oc Register, 13 July 2025 Mainstream economic thinking is that consumers would pay higher prices for goods, from foodstuffs to lumber and oil, and feel knock-on effects on items like homes and gas—not to mention the supply chain chaos. Talib Visram, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025 Most places in the body where tumors originate are replete with nutrients: fats, amino acids, oxygen, metals—all the foodstuffs a rapidly growing cell needs. Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foodstuff

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foodstuff was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foodstuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foodstuff. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

foodstuff

noun
food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
especially : a specific nutrient (as protein or fat)

Medical Definition

foodstuff

noun
food·​stuff ˈfüd-ˌstəf How to pronounce foodstuff (audio)
: a substance with food value
especially : a specific nutrient (as a fat or protein)

More from Merriam-Webster on foodstuff

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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