barley

¹

[bahr-lee]

noun

1. a widely distributed cereal plant belonging to the genus Hordeum, of the grass family, having awned flowers that grow in tightly bunched spikes, with three small additional spikes at each node.

2. the grain of this plant, used as food and in making beer, ale, and whiskey.

barley

²

[bahr-lee]

noun

Scot. and North England.

plural

barleys 

1. a truce or quarter, especially in children's games; parley.

barley

¹

/ ˈbɑːlɪ /

noun

1. any of various erect annual temperate grasses of the genus Hordeum , esp H. vulgare , that have short leaves and dense bristly flower spikes and are widely cultivated for grain and forage

2. the grain of any of these grasses, used in making beer and whisky and for soups, puddings, etc See also pearl barley

barley

²

/ ˈbɑːlɪ /

1. dialect,  a cry for truce or respite from the rules of a game

Word History and Origins

Origin of barley¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English bærlīc (adj.), equivalent to bær- (variant of bere barley; akin to Old Norse barr barley, Gothic barizeins made of barley, Serbo-Croatian brȁšno flour, Latin far emmer; all < European Indo-European *bHaer- spike, prickle, perhaps akin to beard ) + -līc -ly

Origin of barley²

1805–15; probably to be identified with Scots barley, burley, birlie local customary law (Compare birleyman arbiter, birleycourt neighborhood court), variant of birlaw, Medieval Latin birlawe, birelegia, birelag < Old Norse *býjarlagu, equivalent to býjar, genitive singular of býr town ( bower ¹, byre ) + *lagu law ¹; compare bylaw ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of barley¹

Old English bærlīc (adj); related to bere barley, Old Norse barr barley, Gothic barizeins of barley, Latin farīna flour

Origin of barley²

C18: probably changed from _parley

Example Sentences

He said tariffs were the final blow for his business, prompting costs to jump roughly 40%, as suppliers of everything from aluminium cans and barley to brand merchandise raised prices.

Read more on BBC

He dug ditches, washed cars and hauled barley sacks.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It said "unusual weather" had resulted in this year's spring barley being ready to harvest earlier than usual - but it had also adversely affected the quality of the grain.

Read more on BBC

High on the Marlborough Downs, Mike Wilkins was testing his winter barley when I met him, breaking off their ears and grinding them in a small machine to see how dry the grain is.

Read more on BBC

Neil White, an arable farmer near Duns in the Scottish borders, says he could almost double the amount of barley he grows.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• corn 
• fodder 
• forage 
• grain 
• hay 
• meal