cereal

American  

[seer-ee-uhl] / ˈsɪər i əl /

noun

1. any plant of the grass family yielding an edible grain, as wheat, rye, oats, rice, or corn.

2. the grain itself.

3. some edible preparation of it, especially a breakfast food.

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adjective

1. of or relating to grain or the plants producing it.

cereal British  

/ ˈsɪərɪəl /

noun

1. any grass that produces an edible grain, such as oat, rye, wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and millet

2. the grain produced by such a plant

3. any food made from this grain, esp breakfast food

4. (modifier) of or relating to any of these plants or their products

   cereal farming

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cereal Scientific  

/ sîr′ē-əl /

1. A grass, such as corn, rice, sorghum, or wheat, whose starchy grains are used as food. Cereals are annual plants, and cereal crops must be reseeded for each growing season. Cereal grasses were domesticated during the Neolithic Period and formed the basis of early agriculture.

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Other Word Forms

• noncereal
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cereal

1590–1600; < Latin Cereālis of, pertaining to Ceres; see -al ¹

Explanation

Cereal is a grassy grain used for food, like corn or wheat. But if someone offers you a bowl of cereal, don’t expect a pile of grass. Cereal is also a popular breakfast food served in a bowl with milk. You can use the word cereal when you talk about a grain crop, the harvested grain, or the prepared breakfast food. Oatmeal is a hot cereal, and Cheerios is a cold one. Originally, cereal meant "having to do with edible grain," from the Latin Cerealis, "of grain," but also "of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture." Next time you enjoy a bowl of Fruit Loops, make sure to thank Ceres, the goddess of agriculture.

Example Sentences

To meet customers where they are, brands aren’t necessarily doubling down on fiber-bomb staples like Kellogg’s All-Bran cereal, but rather looking to drinks and snacks.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

Spices in particular have been a standout performer in supermarkets’ center aisles that are replete with packaged items like cereal, rice and soup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Pupils who regularly attend the club all praised the food, which includes cereal, toast and porridge, and said they had benefitted from scheme.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

In France alone, about 300,000 hectares of land once used for cereal farming has been left fallow or abandoned since 2022, he said.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

At breakfast I stir my cereal bowl until it is a cyclone of milk and Cheerios.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• bran
• corn
• grain
• rice
• wheat