food pyramid

noun

A pyramid-shaped diagram in layers, where each layer represents a group of animals that feeds on the layer below.

“The food pyramid surprised me by showing that we should eat lots of cheese.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounfood pyramid (plural food pyramids)

plural food pyramids

  1. A pyramid-shaped diagram in layers, where each layer represents a group of animals that feeds on the layer below.

    The teacher reminded us to always start the food pyramid with the plants on the bottom.

  2. USnutritionAny pyramidal diagram giving advice on how to eat healthily, particularly those widely publicized by the United States government.

    The food pyramid surprised me by showing that we should eat lots of cheese.

Origin

So called from its pyramid shape.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 食物金字塔
  • 食物金字塔 (sik⁶ mat⁶ gam¹ zi⁶ taap³)pyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
Chinese Mandarin 食物金字塔, 飲食金字塔 /饮食金字塔
  • 食物金字塔 (shíwù jīnzìtǎ)pyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
  • 飲食金字塔 /饮食金字塔 (yǐnshí jīnzìtǎ)pyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
Finnish ravintopyramidi, ruokakolmio
  • ravintopyramidipyramid-shaped diagram in layers representing groups of animals
  • ruokakolmiopyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
French pyramide alimentaire
  • pyramide alimentairepyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
German Ernährungspyramide
  • Ernährungspyramidepyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
Polish piramida pokarmowa, piramida żywieniowa
  • piramida pokarmowapyramid-shaped diagram in layers representing groups of animals
  • piramida żywieniowapyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
Turkish besin piramidi
  • besin piramidipyramidal diagram giving advice for healthy eating
Cite this entry
APA

food pyramid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20pyramid

MLA

“food pyramid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20pyramid. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “food pyramid,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20pyramid.

Source: food pyramid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.