micronutrient

M3I1C3R1O1N1U1T1R1I1E1N1T1

noun

A mineral, vitamin or other substance that is essential, even in very small quantities, for growth or metabolism.

Similar
micromineraltrace element
Opposite
macronutrient
OriginEnglish nutrient ← Ancient Greek μῑκρο- (mīkro-) ← Proto-Indo-European *mey-der.? →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

nounmicronutrient (plural micronutrients)

plural micronutrients

  1. A mineral, vitamin or other substance that is essential, even in very small quantities, for growth or metabolism.

    Broccoli, on the other hand, is loaded with healthy micronutrients and is perfect in any meal, so keep it on your plate.

    2010, Anthony Marcelus, “Fix Your Fare”, in Reps!, 17:75

    Synonyms: micromineral, trace element · Antonyms: macronutrient

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA mineral, vitamin or other substance that is essential, even in very small quantities, for growth or metabolism.

Similar
micromineraltrace element
Opposite
macronutrient
Also see
trace element

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-der.?
  2. Ancient Greekμῑκρός (mīkrós)
  3. Ancient Greekμῑκρο- (mīkro-)
  4. Englishmicro-
  5. Englishnutrient
  6. Englishmicronutrient

From micro- + nutrient.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 微量元素
  • 微量元素 (wēiliàng yuánsù)essential mineral or vitamin
Danish mikronæringsstof
  • mikronæringsstofessential mineral or vitamin
Estonian mikrotoitaine
  • mikrotoitaineessential mineral or vitamin
Finnish vitamiini, hivenaine
  • vitamiiniessential mineral or vitamin
  • hivenaineessential mineral or vitamin
French micro-élément
  • micro-élémentessential mineral or vitamin
German Mikronährstoff, Spurenelement
  • Mikronährstoffessential mineral or vitamin
  • Spurenelementessential mineral or vitamin
Italian micronutriente, oligonutriente
  • micronutrienteessential mineral or vitamin
  • oligonutrienteessential mineral or vitamin
Norwegian Bokmål mikronæringsstoff
  • mikronæringsstoffessential mineral or vitamin
Portuguese micronutriente, oligoelemento
  • micronutrienteessential mineral or vitamin
  • oligoelementoessential mineral or vitamin
Spanish micronutriente
  • micronutrienteessential mineral or vitamin
Swahili kirutubisho kidogo
  • kirutubisho kidogoessential mineral or vitamin
Tagalog kalit-ang kapaniya, mikkapaniya
  • kalit-ang kapaniyaessential mineral or vitamin
  • mikkapaniyaessential mineral or vitamin
  • mikapaniyaessential mineral or vitamin
Turkish mikro besin
  • mikro besinessential mineral or vitamin
Vietnamese nguyên tố vi lượng, vi lượng tố
  • nguyên tố vi lượngessential mineral or vitamin
  • vi lượng tốessential mineral or vitamin
Welsh microfaethyn, microfaetholyn
  • microfaethynessential mineral or vitamin
  • microfaetholynessential mineral or vitamin
Cite this entry
APA

micronutrient. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronutrient

MLA

“micronutrient.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronutrient. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “micronutrient,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/micronutrient.

Source: micronutrient on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.