Vittles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Food or provisions, especially those that are necessary for sustenance
2. A colloquial term referring to the items consumed to satisfy hunger
3. An informal expression for various types of edible goods or meals that are prepared and served

Etymology: "Vittles" is the plural of "vittle", a dialect variant of "victual", which is the form of the word that came into English from Old French "vitaille" (food, provisions). The history of the word itself is therefore the history of "victual", with the spelling and pronunciation worn down over centuries of speech. The plural form is what gives it its colloquial flavour today. "Vittle" survives mainly in rural and regional speech, and the plural "vittles" is the form most people encounter, often in phrases like "grub and vittles" or in the old-fashioned talk of cowboys and countryfolk.

Synonyms: food, nourishment, provisions