Etymology From Middle English diet, dyet, diete, from Old French diete, from Medieval Latin dieta (“regimen, regulation; assembly”), from Latin diaeta, from Ancient Greek δίαιτα (díaita).
1
The food and beverage a person or animal consumes.
The diet of the giant panda consists mainly of bamboo.
It is common policy to order no more diet than will be used within one month.2013, Martin D Buckland, Lynda Hall, Alan Mowlem, A Guide to Laboratory Animal Technology, page 56:
2
A controlled regimen of food and drink choices, as to gain or lose weight or otherwise influence health.
He's been on a diet since he found out that he has coronary atherosclerosis.
The doctor put me on a low-salt diet.
1 more example
My jeans are too tight, so I'm going on a diet.
3
Broadly Any habitual intake or consumption.
He's been reading a steady diet of nonfiction for the last several years.
Last week the aging video game retailer emerged as the hottest stock on Wall Street, a story just unexpected and absurd enough to fill the new Trump-shaped void in our nation’s media diet.2021 February 3, Farhad Manjoo, “Can We Please Stop Talking About Stocks, Please?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Etymology From Middle English diet, dyet, diete, from Old French diete, from Medieval Latin dieta (“regimen, regulation; assembly”), from Latin diaeta, from Ancient Greek δίαιτα (díaita).
1
Of a food or beverage Containing less fat, salt, sugar, or calories than normal, or claimed to have such.
diet soda
Many grocery chains offer premium-priced lean or diet hamburger; but the fat content is usually at least 10 percent, sometimes 15 percent or more.1982, Consumer Guide, Dieter's Complete Guide to Calories, Carbohydrates, Sodiums, Fats & Cholesterol, page 18:
2 more examples
The difference in weight (mass) of the regular and the diet drink of the same brand roughly equals to the amount of sugar in the regular drink.1998, Andy Sae, Chemical Magic from the Grocery Store:
Diet Light (Pizarro 724; snacks S2-7; 9:30am-10pm) This perennially busy place serves not-very-diet, but yummy nonetheless, ice cream (S2 to S5) and whopping servings of mixed fruit (S3) – with ice cream.2010, Lonely Planet Peru, →ISBN, page 347:
You folks reduce it to the bible only as being authoritative, impoverishing the faith. "Christianity Lite", diet Christianity for those who can't handle the Whole Meal.
diet
verb
Etymology From Middle English dieten, dyeten, diȝeten, from Old French dïeter and Medieval Latin diētāre.
1
To modify one's food and beverage intake so as to decrease or increase body weight or influence health.
I've been dieting for six months, and I've lost some weight.
2
Dated To regulate the food of (someone); to put on a diet.
they will diet themselves, feed and live alone.
When all signs of effusion, dulness, pain, œgophony, and cough had disappeared he was dieted, stimulated, and tonicked.1887, Medical Press and Circular, volume 94, page 461:
1 more example
As illustrating the belief that the Baptism by Blood was accompanied by a real regeneration of the devotee, Frazer quotes an ancient writer who says that for some time after the ceremony the fiction of a new birth was kept up by dieting the devotee on milk, like a new-born babe.1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 45:
Let him[…]diet in such places, where there is good company of the nation, where he travelleth.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Travel”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
But partly led to diet my revenge […].c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
diet
noun
Etymology From Middle English diet, dyet, from Old French diete, from Medieval Latin diēta, diaeta (“a public assembly; set day of trial; a day's journey”), from Ancient Greek δῐ́αιτα (dĭ́aita, “way of living, living space; decision, judgement”), influenced by Latin diēs (“day”).
1
Capitalized, Usually, As a proper noun A council or assembly of leaders; a formal deliberative assembly.
the National Diet of Japan
They were given representation in some important diet committees.
Normally the diet begins towards the end of April.2020 June 14, “Coronavirus: School exam timetable could be put back next year”, in BBC News website, BBC, retrieved 23 Apr 2026:
3
A criminal proceeding in court.
4
Scotland A clerical or ecclesiastical function in Scotland.