Meat is the flesh of animals used as food, such as beef, chicken, or pork. It is a major source of protein in many diets.
From Old English “mete” meaning 'food' in general, not just animal flesh. Over time, the meaning narrowed to 'animal flesh used as food'. Traces of the older sense remain in phrases like 'sweetmeats' for candies.
Originally, 'meat' just meant 'food'—your vegetables were meat too. That older meaning still peeks out in 'sweetmeats', which confusingly are sugary treats, not chunks of steak.
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