nutrient

Definition

A source of nourishment, such as food, that can be metabolized by an organism to give energy and build tissue.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin nūtriēns, present participle of nūtriō (“I suckle, nourish, foster”).

Example Sentences

• "Even second-generation biofuels, made from crop wastes or wood, are an environmental disaster, either extending the cultivated area or removing the straw and stovers which protect the soil from erosion and keep carbon and nutrients in the ground."