Meaning & use
nonfat
Last updated
UK/ˌnɒnˈfæt/
US/ˌnɑːnˈfæt/
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Containing no fat; used mainly of foods such as milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Grammar: Almost always before a noun (nonfat milk); predicative use ('this milk is nonfat') is possible but rare.
Patterns
- nonfat milk
- nonfat yogurt
- switch to nonfat
He stirred nonfat milk into his coffee.
The recipe calls for nonfat cottage cheese and fresh herbs.
Common combinations
- nonfat milk
- She buys nonfat milk for her morning cereal.
- nonfat yogurt
- Top the berries with plain nonfat yogurt.
- nonfat cottage cheese
- Nonfat cottage cheese is high in protein.
- nonfat salad dressing
- The café serves its salads with nonfat dressing on request.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fat-free
- The same meaning and common in both British and American labeling; often the word on the packaging.
- skim
- Used only for milk (British skimmed); nonfat also covers yogurt, cheese, and other foods.
Opposites
full-fat
Word family
Commonly confused: nonfat or low-fat?
nonfat vs low-fat
Low-fat foods still contain some fat, just less; nonfat means none at all.
Practice
According to the label, the yogurt is nonfat. It therefore…
Choose one answer.
Non- + fat means zero fat. 'Only a little fat' describes low-fat products, the classic labeling trap, and the label says nothing about sugar or protein.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nonfat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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