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• rice
  rice

  noun

  the starchy seeds or grain of an annual marsh grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in warm climates and used for food.
• Rice
  Rice

  noun

  Anne, 1941–2021, U.S. novelist.
• RICE
  RICE

  acronym

  rest, ice, compression, elevation: the recommended procedure for controlling inflammation in injured limbs or joints

rice

¹ American  

[rahys] / raɪs /

noun

1. the starchy seeds or grain of an annual marsh grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in warm climates and used for food.

2. the grass itself.

3. a food that is chopped or otherwise processed to resemble rice (used in combination): sweet potato rice.

   cauliflower rice;

   sweet potato rice.

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verb (used with object)

riced, ricing

1. to reduce to a form resembling rice.

   to rice potatoes.

Rice ² American  

[rahys] / raɪs /

noun

1. Anne, 1941–2021, U.S. novelist.

2. Dan Daniel McLaren, 1823–1900, U.S. circus clown, circus owner, and Union patriot.

3. Elmer, 1892–1967, U.S. playwright.

4. Jerry Lee, born 1962, U.S. football player.

5. Grantland 1880–1954, U.S. journalist.

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rice ¹ British  

/ raɪs /

noun

1. an erect grass, Oryza sativa , that grows in East Asia on wet ground and has drooping flower spikes and yellow oblong edible grains that become white when polished

2. the grain of this plant

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verb

1. (tr) to sieve (potatoes or other vegetables) to a coarse mashed consistency, esp with a ricer

RICE ² British  

/ raɪs /

acronym

1. rest, ice, compression, elevation: the recommended procedure for controlling inflammation in injured limbs or joints

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Rice ³ British  

/ raɪs /

noun

1. Elmer , original name Elmer Reizenstein . 1892–1967, US dramatist. His plays include The Adding Machine (1923) and Street Scene (1929), which was made into a musical by Kurt Weill in 1947

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Etymology

Origin of rice

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English ris, rys, from Old French, from Italian riso, risi (in Medieval Latin risium ), from Medieval Greek orýzion, derivative of Greek óryza, from an Iranian language, e.g., Old Persian brizi, Pashto vrižē; akin to Sanskrit vrīhi-, perhaps ultimately of Dravidian origin

Explanation

Rice is a kind of plant, as well as the grain that comes from it. At some Chinese restaurants, you get a choice between white rice and brown rice. White rice is processed or "polished," so the outer germ is removed — it's a staple of Chinese and Indian cuisine, among others. There are many varieties of rice, defined by the color and length of the individual grain. When rice is a verb, it means "force through a sieve," or in other words, to take something like a potato and make it look like rice. We can trace the origin of rice back to the Sanskrit vrihi-s.

Example Sentences

The 66 to Cali kiosk is owned by Dan Rice, who started the business in 2009 after years of travels on the Mother Road.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

For Arsenal, the quality of their crossers in Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, paired with the aerial threat of Gabriel, is key.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

Rice is a staple crop in Malaysia, which consumes around 2.5 million tonnes a year, around half of which is produced domestically.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

“It’s a blur to be honest with you,” midfielder Declan Rice said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

With Mr. Rice gone, there was only one teacher for the whole high school.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

Related Words

• bran
• corn
• grain
• wheat