oat

American  

[oht] / oʊt /

noun

oats plural

1. a cereal grass, Avena sativa, cultivated for its edible seed.

2. (used with a singular or plural verb) Usually oats. the seed of this plant, used as a food for humans and animals.

3. any of several plants of the same genus, as the wild oat.

4. Archaic. a musical pipe made of an oat straw.

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idioms

1. sow one's wild oats. wild oat.

2. feel one's oats,

   1. to feel frisky or lively.

   2. to be aware of and use one's importance or power.

oat British  

/ əʊt /

noun

1. an erect annual grass, Avena sativa, grown in temperate regions for its edible seed

2. (usually plural) the seeds or fruits of this grass

3. any of various other grasses of the genus Avena, such as the wild oat

4. poetic a flute made from an oat straw

5. informal

   1. to feel exuberant

   2. to feel self-important

6. slang to have sexual intercourse

7. to indulge in adventure or promiscuity during youth

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• oatlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• oats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of oat

before 900; Middle English ote, Old English āte

Explanation

An oat is a cereal grain, the seed of a plant that grows like a tall grass in fields. Your dad might love to bake with oats. You're most likely to see the noun oat in its plural form — oats. Oats are grown for both animal feed and human consumption. If you ever eat oatmeal for breakfast, you know what an oat looks like, at least in its rolled, flake-like form. The Old English root is ate, "grain of the wild oat plant." The source of this word isn't known for sure, though it may come from the Old Norse eitill, "nodule" or "single grain."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

oat oats

I’ve made lovely versions with 2% milk, oat milk, almond milk, half-and-half and the random splash of buttermilk left lingering in the back of the fridge after a biscuit project.

From Salon ● May 25, 2026

The hottest job perk right now isn’t unlimited paid time off or oat milk in the office kitchen — it’s job security, period.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 7, 2026

The Welsh government said it was working to "review the current arrangements" for the School Milk Scheme, but governing bodies had the discretion to design school dinner menus including soya, rice or oat drinks.

From BBC ● Mar. 20, 2026

In the two day oat based study, 17 participants in the oat group and 15 in the control group completed the trial.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026

“It’s wildness suits you, but it is a small flower, and bashful. For that as well as other,” I cleared my throat, “more obvious reasons, I think we’ll pass the wild oat by.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

I like my mash slightly chunky, with small bits of banana that add a nice chew to the oats.

From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026

Toothpaste, oats and instant coffee have all suffered the same fate.

From BBC ● May 13, 2026

Soluble fiber — found in things like oats and lentils — dissolves in water, slows digestion and helps lower some cholesterol, Shelke said.

From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026

I like to eat right away, and I eat the same two things every day: either yogurt with frozen berries, or there’s this overnight oats called Mush.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

“After we start planting, there’s no time for sugaring. You plant oats early and you get oats; you plant ’em late and you get nothing but chaff.”

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen