noun
meat
meet
noun
1
The flesh of an animal used as food.
"She grilled the meat until it was perfectly tender."
"He gave up eating meat five years ago."
2
The most important or substantial part of something, such as an argument or discussion.
"Let's skip the introduction and get to the meat of the proposal."
How to Use Meat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAnimal flesh eaten as food, or figuratively, the substantial core of something.
Common pairings
red meat
processed meat
meat of the matter
meat and potatoes
Word Forms
meats plural
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She grilled the _____ until it was perfectly tender.
Etymology
From Old English mete, which originally meant "food" in general, not just animal flesh — the narrower sense developed over time.