I. ˈdī-ət noun
Etymology: Middle English diete, from Anglo-French, from Latin diaeta, from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitasthai to lead one's life
Date: 13th century
1.
a. : food and drink regularly provided or consumed
b. : habitual nourishment
c. : the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person or animal for a special reason
d. : a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight
going on a diet
2. : something provided or experienced repeatedly
a diet of Broadway shows and nightclubs — Frederick Wyatt
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to cause to take food : feed
2. : to cause to eat and drink sparingly or according to prescribed rules
intransitive verb
: to eat sparingly or according to prescribed rules
• di·et·er noun
III. adjective
Date: 1963
1. : reduced in calories
a diet soft drink
2. : promoting weight loss (as by depressing appetite)
diet pills
IV. noun
Etymology: Middle English diete day's journey, day set for a meeting, from Medieval Latin dieta, literally, daily regimen, diet (taken as a derivative of Latin dies day), from Latin diaeta
Date: 1565
1. : a formal deliberative assembly of princes or estates
2. : any of various national or provincial legislatures