functional food

noun

: nutraceutical

Examples of functional food in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Compared to saffron, honey has a much longer history of use as a functional food ingredient, including relieving coughs and colds, promoting wound healing, and more. — Eleesha Lockett, Verywell Health, 30 Aug. 2026 Clean-label positioning, allergen-free status, and single-source complete proteins sit at the intersection of sports nutrition, functional food, and the wellness side of beauty. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The acquisition is the latest in a string of deals in the wellness and functional foods space. — Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 18 May 2026 Instead, they are typically now found in supplements, tinctures, teas, powders and functional foods – often combined with other ingredients like caffeine, vitamins or additional herbs. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for functional food

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of functional food was in 1988

Rhymes for functional food

See All Rhymes for functional food

Browse Nearby Words

functional finance
functional food
functional genomics
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Functional food.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/functional%20food. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

functional food

noun
: nutraceutical

More from Merriam-Webster on functional food

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about functional food

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All