nutrition

plural nutritions

1. uncountableusuallybiologyThe organic process by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and maintenance.

   Proper nutrition – and even more important, proper hydration – is crucial in preventing and recovering from both fevers and colds.

   2016 September 16, Hailey Middlebrook, “Should you really feed a cold and starve a fever?”, in CNN

   1 more example

   In the dead state all is apparently without motion. No agent within indicates design, intelligence, or foresight: there is no respiration; no digestion, circulation, or nutrition; […]

   1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization, Edinburgh; London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 2

2. uncountableusuallyThe academic discipline around the scientific study of this process.
3. uncountableusuallyThat which nourishes; nutriment.

   I accidentally ate a worm which was in my apple - my uncle said the extra nutrition would do me good.