diet

diet
\ \ [13] Diet comes, via Old French diete and Latin diaeta, from Greek díaitamode of life’.
\ \ This was used by medical writers, such as Hippocrates, in the specific sense ‘prescribed mode of life’, and hence ‘prescribed regimen of food’. It has been speculated that Latin diaeta, presumably in the yet further restricted sense ‘day’s allowance of food’, came to be associated with Latin diēsday’. This gave rise to medieval Latin diētaday’s journey’, ‘day’s work’, etc, hence ‘day appointed for a meeting’, and thus ‘meeting (of legislators)’. English acquired this word (coming orthographically full circle as diet) in the 15th century, but it is now mainly used for referring to various foreign legislatures.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Diet — Di et, n. [F. di[ e]te, LL. dieta, diaeta, an assembly, a day s journey; the same word as diet course of living, but with the sense changed by L. dies day: cf. G. tag day, and {Reichstag}.] A legislative or administrative assembly in Germany,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Diet — Di et, n. [F. di[ e]te, L. diaeta, fr. Gr. ? manner of living.] 1. Course of living or nourishment; what is eaten and drunk habitually; food; victuals; fare. No inconvenient diet. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. A course of food selected with reference …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Diet — Di et, v. i. 1. To eat; to take one s meals. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] Let him . . . diet in such places, where there is good company of the nation, where he traveleth. Bacon. [1913 Webster] 2. To eat according to prescribed rules; to ear sparingly;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • diet — [n1] abstinence from food dietary, fast, nutritional therapy, regime, regimen, restriction, starvation, weight reduction plan; concept 660 Ant. indulgence diet [n2] daily intake of food aliment, bite, comestibles, commons, daily bread, edibles,… …   New thesaurus

  • diet — Ⅰ. diet [1] ► NOUN 1) the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats. 2) a restricted regime of eating, followed in order to lose weight or for medical reasons. 3) (before another noun ) (of food or drink) with reduced fat… …   English terms dictionary

  • diet — diet1 [dī′ət] n. [ME diete < OFr < ML dieta, diet, daily food allowance (meaning infl. by DIET2) < L diaeta < Gr diaita, way of life, regimen < dia , through + root of aisa, fate < IE * aito , share < base * ai , to give,… …   English World dictionary

  • Diet — Di et, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dieted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Dieting}.] 1. To cause to take food; to feed. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To cause to eat and drink sparingly, or by prescribed rules; to regulate medicinally the food of. [1913 Webster] She… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • diet — index session Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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