Bible Dictionaries

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Meat

Meat. It does not appear that the word "meat" is used in any one instance, in the Authorized Version of either the Old or New Testament, in the sense which it now almost exclusively bears of animal food. The latter is denoted uniformly by "flesh." The word "meat," when our English version was made, meant food in general; or if any particular kind was designated, it referred to meal, flour or grain. The only real and inconvenient ambiguity caused by the change which has taken place in the meaning of the word is in the case of the "Meat [Meal] Offering." See Meat Offering.