nutrient-reducing
|nu-tri-ent-re-duc-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈnuːtriənt rɪˈduːsɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈnjuːtriənt rɪˈdjuːsɪŋ/
cause nutrients to decrease
Etymology
'nutrient-reducing' originates from Modern English, formed by the noun 'nutrient' + the verb 'reduce' with the present-participle suffix '-ing'.
'nutrient' comes from Latin 'nutriens', the present participle of 'nutrire' meaning 'to nourish'; 'reduce' comes from Latin 'reducere' (re- 'back' + ducere 'to lead'). These elements were combined in Modern English to form the compound adjective.
Initially 'nutrient' had the sense 'nourishing' and 'reduce' meant 'to lead back'; over time 'nutrient' became a noun for a substance that nourishes and 'reduce' came to mean 'make smaller or less', so the compound now means 'causing a decrease in nutrient levels'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
causing or leading to a decrease in the amount or availability of nutrients (used especially of processes, treatments, or conditions).
Nutrient-reducing practices in agriculture can lower the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus that reach nearby rivers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/22 17:30