rye

¹

[ rahy ]

noun

1. a widely cultivated cereal grass, Secale cereale, having one-nerved glumes and two- or three-flowered spikelets.
2. the seeds or grain of this plant, used for making flour and whiskey, and as a livestock feed.
3. rye bread.
4. a straight whiskey distilled from a mash containing 51 percent or more rye grain.
5. Northeastern U.S. and Canada. a blended whiskey.

adjective

1. made with rye grain or flour:

   rye rolls.

rye

²

[ rahy ]

noun

1. a male Romani; Rom.

Rye

³

[ rahy ]

noun

1. a city in SE New York, on Long Island Sound.

rye

¹

/ raɪ /

noun

1. dialect.
   a gentleman

rye

²

/ raɪ /

noun

1. a tall hardy widely cultivated annual grass, Secale cereale , having soft bluish-green leaves, bristly flower spikes, and light brown grain See also wild rye
2. the grain of this grass, used in making flour and whiskey, and as a livestock food
3. Also calledrye whiskey whiskey distilled from rye. US whiskey must by law contain not less than 51 per cent rye
4. short for rye bread

Rye

³

/ raɪ /

noun

1. a resort in SE England, in East Sussex: one of the Cinque Ports. Pop: 4195 (2001)

Word History and Origins

Origin of rye¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English ryge; cognate with Old Norse rūgr; akin to Dutch rogge, German Roggen

Origin of rye²

First recorded in 1850–55; from Romani rai “man, gentleman,” ultimately from Sanskrit rājan “king”; rajah ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of rye¹

from Romany rai , from Sanskrit rājan king; see rajah

Origin of rye²

Old English ryge ; related to Old Norse rugr , Old French rogga , Old Saxon roggo

Example Sentences

Bass ordered pastrami on rye and took notes as Langer described the challenge of maintaining a business when customers have been falling away after decades of loyalty.

From Los Angeles Times

I received a bottle of Vermont WhistlePig rye for my 40th birthday and a Merry Edwards Russian River Pinot as a wedding present.

From Los Angeles Times

“Canyon Prince Wild rye has such a beautiful gray-green color that pops against the backdrop of the gray house,” Pennes notes.

From Los Angeles Times

It is triggered by the consumption of gluten proteins from wheat, barley, rye and some oats.

From Science Daily

That means avoiding any foods made of wheat, barley or rye, because all of them contain gluten.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bran
• corn
• grain
• rice
• wheat