Learn English – Nourishment vs food

foodword-difference

Learning new words, there is the definition of verb: to fertilize

To supply nourishment to plants.

I thought nourishment was some kind of fertilizer, then looking at the dictionary and also the translation I realize that is a way to say food.

If I speak nourishment to a native speaker he will understand what I saying (any person)? Sounds like a difficult, old-fashioned word that only some people know.

Is there a difference about meaning between these words that I missing? Are they interchangeable?

In ngrams the word nourishment is not usual than food, is still used?

Best Answer

Nourishment is the benefit that food provides.

The words are not interchangeable.

We eat food.

We do not "eat nourishment". We get nourishment or take nourishment from the food we eat.

Nourishment is abstract. Food is the word for tangible, edible things :)