rye

¹ American  

[rahy] / raɪ /

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.

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adjective

1. made with rye grain or flour.

   rye rolls.

rye ² American  

[rahy] / raɪ /

noun

1. a male Romani; Rom.

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Rye ³ American  

[rahy] / raɪ /

noun

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

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rye ¹ British  

/ 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 called: rye whiskey.  whiskey distilled from rye. US whiskey must by law contain not less than 51 per cent rye

4. short for rye bread

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Rye ² British  

/ raɪ /

noun

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

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rye ³ British  

/ raɪ /

noun

1. dialect a gentleman

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Etymology

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. )

Example Sentences

She has cultivated a down-to-earth image, posting photos on social media of her meal of tinned mackerel on rye bread and cleaning windows at home.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction of the immune system to gluten – a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

From BBC

In a normal world, Dad would be ordering a double pastrami on rye while I got the ham and cheese with no tomato, no onion, and no lettuce.

From Literature

Starters can be made with wheat, rye, barley, teff, millet, or other grains, each supplying a distinct set of nutrients that microbes depend on to grow.

From Science Daily

It comes with rye bread, sliced Emmental cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing and Raye’s Cranberry Mustard.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bran
• corn
• grain
• rice
• wheat