Keto

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkitoʊ/

Definitions

1. A method of eating that shifts the body's metabolism to burning fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates
2. A nutritional regimen that prioritizes fats while minimizing sugars and starches to promote weight loss and health benefits
3. A dietary approach focusing on high-fat, low-carbohydrate intake that encourages the body to utilize fat as its primary energy source rather than carbohydrates

Etymology: "Keto" is a clipped form of "keto diet," so it has no history of its own beyond the phrase it was cut from. The short form is what speakers reach for in everyday talk, and it has since been used on its own in the same sense, describing a way of eating rather than a diet plan. The clipping follows a familiar pattern in English, where a longer compound loses its tail once the context makes the rest obvious. Calling the diet "keto" rather than "ketogenic" also points to where the name comes from: the word is built around ketones, the molecules the liver produces when it burns fat for fuel in place of carbohydrates.

Synonyms: ketogenic, low-carb