food [OE] Recorded since the beginning of the 11th century, food is related to fodder [OE] and foster [OE], originally found in the sense ‘feed, nourish’. It can refer to mental as well as physical nourishment—the expression food for thought to indicate something that deserves serious consideration has been in use since the early 19th century. Cannon fodder for soldiers regarded as expendable dates from the mid 19th century.