pseudocereal

[soo-doh-seer-ee-uhl]

noun

1. any of several plants, as buckwheat and quinoa, that produce fruits and seeds used as flour but are not of the grass family.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pseudocereal¹

First recorded in 1965–70; pseudo- ( def. ) + cereal ( def. )

Example Sentences

A pseudo grain or pseudocereal, buckwheat is something of a misnomer, not related to wheat in the slightest.

Read more on Salon

In quinoa’s native Peru, it’s typically served as a topping on rice — which might sound like overkill to the carb-conscious until they understand that quinoa is a member of the amaranth family, a pseudocereal, meaning it’s a plant that looks and acts like a grain but, like millet and buckwheat, isn’t actually one.

Read more on Washington Post

As a food crop, buckwheat is classified as a pseudocereal because it is used in much the same way as a true cereal, which must be derived from a grass, such as wheat or rye.

Read more on Seattle Times

In purely technical terms, a grain is the seed of any cereal or pseudocereal.

Read more on Seattle Times