roughage

noun

rough·​age ˈrə-fij How to pronounce roughage (audio)
: mostly indigestible material in food (such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables) that promotes elimination of waste from the large intestine : fiber sense 1d
Knowing where to get dietary fiber is important because strong evidence now links roughage to good health, weight management and a reduced risk of colon cancer and other major diseases.Elizabeth Somer
also : food containing much indigestible material acting as fiber
That's okay, though: Junk food has a place in a moviegoing diet, as long as you make room for roughage elsewhere. Ty Burr

Examples of roughage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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However, not all game shows are winners, and there’s a lot of reality TV roughage to dig through in pursuit of a few diamonds. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2024 Additionally, McGowan said people should avoid fruits and vegetables with significant roughage — the indigestible portion of food. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023 There’s enough roughage to skip a salad altogether, and the cream and parm keep the sauce from feeling too vegetal. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 4 Aug. 2023 To test what these plastics do to our bodies once they’re consumed, the team bathed human embryonic kidney cells in the plastic roughage shed by the baby-food containers. WIRED, 31 July 2023 See all Example Sentences for roughage 

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of roughage was in 1911

Dictionary Entries Near roughage

Cite this Entry

“Roughage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roughage. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

roughage

noun
rough·​age ˈrəf-ij How to pronounce roughage (audio)

Medical Definition

roughage

noun
rough·​age ˈrəf-ij How to pronounce roughage (audio)
: fiber sense 2
also : food (as bran) containing much indigestible material acting as fiber

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