meat

"Meat" most commonly means the flesh of animals that people eat, such as beef, pork, chicken, or fish. It is an important part of many meals and is often thought of as a rich source of protein. In everyday life, this is the meaning people usually have in mind when they use the word.

But the word is not only about animal food. In phrases like "the meat of the matter," it means the main or most important part of something. It can also mean the soft inner part of some foods from plants, such as a coconut, walnut, or avocado. In that sense, it points to the part that is useful, filling, or worth paying attention to.

The word "meat" primarily means the flesh of animals eaten as food. This includes common foods such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and, in many everyday contexts, fish. Around the world, it is a central part of many dishes and is valued for its flavor, texture, and nutrients. In cooking, people often talk about different cuts, such as breast, thigh, rib, or chop, because the cut affects how the food is prepared and served.

The word also has an older, broader history. In earlier English, "meat" could mean food in general. That older meaning is mostly gone now, but it helps explain why we still use the word for the edible inner part of some plant foods, such as the meat of a coconut, a walnut, or an avocado. In these cases, the word does not mean animal flesh. It simply means the thick, useful, edible part inside.

Outside food, "meat" is often used in a figurative way to mean the main, important, or substantial part of something. If someone says, "Let's get to the meat of the issue," they mean, "Let's talk about the most important part." The phrase "meat and potatoes" also appears in English to describe something basic, solid, and practical.

There are also informal uses that learners may hear. "Fresh meat" can mean a new person in a group, especially in a rough, joking, or unkind way. In some slang uses, the word can be insulting when it reduces a person to a body or to physical value alone. So while "meat" is a very common everyday word, its meaning changes with context: it can refer to animal food, the inside part of certain fruits or nuts, or the central substance of an idea or discussion.