Meanings
nounfood swamp (plural food swamps)
plural food swamps
- An urban environment with few grocery stores but several nonnutritious food options such as corner stores or fast-food restaurants.First known use 2009
Origin
Coined in a research paper published in 2009.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French marécage alimentaire
- marécage alimentairean urban environment with few grocery stores but several nonnutritious food options
Italian palude alimentare
- palude alimentarean urban environment with few grocery stores but several nonnutritious food options
Spanish pantano de alimentos
- pantano de alimentosan urban environment with few grocery stores but several nonnutritious food options
Cite this entry
APA
food swamp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20swamp
MLA
“food swamp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20swamp. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “food swamp,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/food%20swamp.
Source: food swamp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.