diet 1
— dieter , n.
/duy"it/ , n. , v. , dieted, dieting , adj.
n.
1. food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health: Milk is a wholesome article of diet.
2. a particular selection of food, esp. as designed or prescribed to improve a person's physical condition or to prevent or treat a disease: a diet low in sugar.
3. such a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight: No pie for me, I'm on a diet.
4. the foods eaten, as by a particular person or group: The native diet consists of fish and fruit.
5. food or feed habitually eaten or provided: The rabbits were fed a diet of carrots and lettuce.
6. anything that is habitually provided or partaken of: Television has given us a steady diet of game shows and soap operas.
v.t.
7. to regulate the food of, esp. in order to improve the physical condition.
8. to feed.
v.i.
9. to select or limit the food one eats to improve one's physical condition or to lose weight: I've dieted all month and lost only one pound.
10. to eat or feed according to the requirements of a diet.
adj.
11. suitable for consumption with a weight-reduction diet; dietetic: diet soft drinks.
[ 1175-1225; (n.) ME diete diaeta díaita way of living, diet, equiv. to dia- DIA- + -aita (akin to aîsa share, lot); (v.) ME dieten (transit.) dieter, deriv. of the n. ]
diet 2
/duy"it/ , n.
1. the legislative body of certain countries, as Japan.
2. the general assembly of the estates of the former Holy Roman Empire.
[ 1400-50; late ME dieta public assembly, appar. the same word as L diaeta (see DIET 1 ) with sense affected by L dies day ]