# eat to live, not live to eat

> English word · Proverb

## Definitions
1. It is best not to be gluttonous; eating shouldn't be one's favorite activity, but one should eat only to supply health.

## Etymology
Often attributed to Socrates and Benjamin Franklin.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/eat-to-live-not-live-to-eat