a cereal grass, Setaria italica, extensively cultivated in the East and in southern Europe for its small seed, or grain, used as food for humans and fowls, but in the U.S. grown chiefly for fodder.
any of various related or similar grasses cultivated as grain plants or forage plants.
the grain of any of these grasses.
Francis Davis, 1846–1912, U.S. painter, illustrator, and journalist.
Jean François 1814–75, French painter.
a cereal grass, Setaria italica, cultivated for grain and animal fodder
an East Indian annual grass, Panicum miliaceum, cultivated for grain and forage, having pale round shiny seeds
the seed of this plant
any of various similar or related grasses, such as pearl millet and Indian millet
1375–1425; late Middle English milet < Middle French, equivalent to mil (< Latin milium millet) + -et -et
Millet is a grain-like food that grows in grassy stalks and is a staple in both Asia and Africa. People on gluten-free diets aren't bothered by millet, which is technically a seed rather than a true grain. Pass the millet, please! Even in dry, hot conditions, millet grows easily and quickly, which has made it an important food in countries like India and Nigeria. Some East Asian countries brew beer using millet, and the Indian flatbread roti is commonly made with millet flour. Russia and Germany share a traditional millet-based food, a breakfast porridge.
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Neetu, a 28-year-old farmer, said she used the product on her pearl millet crop and cut urea application by about one-third without affecting yields.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
These included dairy, wheat, tree nuts, coconut, seafood, red fish, pulses and beans, kiwi, sesame, dogs, cats, horse, pollen, flaxseed, chia, poppy seed, buckwheat, millet, peas, chestnut, quinoa, rye, oats and pumpkin.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Scientists believe millet may have become popular because it adapted well to environmental or economic pressures.
From Science Daily ● May 19, 2026
It looks like charcoal, but the black briquettes are actually made from plant waste: millet and sesame stalks, palm fronds and cobs.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
The millet was reaped with stone knives, piled into haystacks, and threshed to obtain the seeds, which were then stored in skin bags or wooden dishes and finally ground with millstones.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
"In fact, the usefulness of technology is very limited in this area," Millet says.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
"This is a fire that makes no sense. It has no direction," Guillaume Millet of the Gironde fire and rescue service told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Somewhere between Rue and Cassie on the desperation scale sits Elle Fanning’s Margo Millet, an eager community college student whose money troubles start when she falls for one of the oldest tricks in the book.
From Salon ● May 4, 2026
By then American painters were studying in Paris; they knew Courbet and Millet, and soon enough would know Pissarro and Monet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
“We want to do something to liven up the lagoons and basin,” Millet told an interviewer.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Corn farmers across the Midwest are experimenting with drought-resistant millets, while growers in Sub-Saharan Africa are embracing varieties of sorghum and legumes that require less water than other grains.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2025
Drought-resistant millets, sorghum and legumes, staples until the early 20th century when they were overtaken by exotic white corn, have been taking up more land space in recent years.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 27, 2024
The analysis showed that until the age of six he ate millets and sorghum grains, known scientifically as C4 crops, which are plentiful in the region where Sarmatians were known to have lived.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2023
"We encourage efforts to strengthen research cooperation on climate-resilient and nutritious grains such as millets, quinoa, sorghum, and other traditional crops including rice, wheat and maize," the statement said.
From Reuters ● Sep. 9, 2023
China had developed intensive agriculture based on millets in the north and rice in the south, and with domestic pigs, chickens, and water buffalo.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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