alimentar

Alimentar is a verb in Portuguese and Spanish that means to feed or nourish. It is used to describe supplying food to people, animals, or plants, as well as providing nourishment for growth or health. In a broader sense, it is connected to the idea of alimentation or diet, and it appears in phrases about nutrition and well-being.

Etymology and related terms: Alimentar derives from Latin alimentare, from alimentum, meaning food. The term appears in several Romance languages with similar meanings. In Portuguese, the noun form alimentação refers to the act or system of feeding, diet, or nutrition.

Usage and grammar: Alimentar is transitive, taking a direct object (a person, an animal, or a thing that is fed). The reflexive form alimentar-se means to feed oneself. Common expressions include alimentar-se de forma saudável (to feed oneself in a healthy way) and alimentar animais (to feed animals). Examples in Portuguese: Os pais alimentam os filhos; o animal precisa ser alimentado com ração.

Noun forms and related concepts: The related noun alimentação denotes the overall act or process of feeding, nutrition, or diet. Related adjectives include alimentício (relating to food supply) and alimentado (fed or nourished). In everyday language, alimentação saudável or dieta balanceada are common phrases describing a balanced diet.

Other contexts: In technical or logistical usage, alimentar can also mean to supply with energy, data, or input for a system, akin to “to feed” a device or process. This sense appears in engineering and IT contexts, where a system is alimentado (supplied) with power or information.