rice
noun
the starchy seeds or grain of an annual marsh grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in warm climates and used for food.
rice
1 American
[rahys]
/ raɪs /
noun
-
rice
plural
-
the starchy seeds or grain of an annual marsh grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in warm climates and used for food.
-
the grass itself.
-
a food that is chopped or otherwise processed to resemble rice (used in combination): sweet potato rice.
cauliflower rice;
sweet potato rice.
verb (used with object)
-
rices,
present (3rd person singular)
-
riced,
past participle, past
-
ricing
present participle
Rice
2
American
[rahys]
/ raɪs /
noun
-
Anne, 1941–2021, U.S. novelist.
-
Dan Daniel McLaren, 1823–1900, U.S. circus clown, circus owner, and Union patriot.
-
Elmer, 1892–1967, U.S. playwright.
-
Jerry Lee, born 1962, U.S. football player.
-
Grantland 1880–1954, U.S. journalist.
rice
1
British
/ raɪs /
noun
-
an erect grass, Oryza sativa , that grows in East Asia on wet ground and has drooping flower spikes and yellow oblong edible grains that become white when polished
-
the grain of this plant
verb
RICE
2
British
/ raɪs /
acronym
Rice
3
British
/ raɪs /
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
ricesimple
-
ricessimple
-
have ricedperfect
-
has ricedperfect
-
am ricingprogressive
-
are ricingprogressive
-
is ricingprogressive
-
have been ricingperfect progressive
-
has been ricingperfect progressive
Past
-
ricedsimple
-
had ricedperfect
-
was ricingprogressive
-
were ricingprogressive
-
had been ricingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rice
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English ris, rys, from Old French, from Italian riso, risi (in Medieval Latin risium ), from Medieval Greek orýzion, derivative of Greek óryza, from an Iranian language, e.g., Old Persian brizi, Pashto vrižē; akin to Sanskrit vrīhi-, perhaps ultimately of Dravidian origin
Explanation
Rice is a kind of plant, as well as the grain that comes from it. At some Chinese restaurants, you get a choice between white rice and brown rice. White rice is processed or "polished," so the outer germ is removed — it's a staple of Chinese and Indian cuisine, among others. There are many varieties of rice, defined by the color and length of the individual grain. When rice is a verb, it means "force through a sieve," or in other words, to take something like a potato and make it look like rice. We can trace the origin of rice back to the Sanskrit vrihi-s.
Vocabulary lists containing rice
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
She made a feast of steamed mussels with coconut cream sauce, rib-eye, chicken, rice and sautéed mushrooms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
A son of rice farmers in Northern California, Chatfield understood the plight faced by migrant families early on.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
On Sundays, Fumo often prepares a big portion of ground beef or chicken, using it to piece together dinner throughout the week, with rice or potatoes and a vegetable side.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
The study marks the first time FAHMFAs have been detected in rice.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
It contained all of Sadako’s favorite foods—an egg roll, chicken and rice, pickled plums, and bean cakes.
From "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr
Personal preference persuades me to pick Adam Wharton ahead of Elliot Anderson – who I do rate very highly – with Declan Rice a no-brainer.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
Given French’s loathsome history, Abbott and others in the party establishment worked hard to keep him from winning the Republican nomination, Rice noted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
Rice is a dietary staple for more than half of the world's population, but scientists still have much to learn about its nutritional makeup.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
“Oil contracts are never given to startups with no experience,” said Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America energy program at the Baker Institute at Rice University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
She nodded, then got up to spoon steaming Cream of Rice into a bowl for me.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
RICE: The Owls don’t play again until Jan. 1 when they play the first of two consecutive games at Texas-San Antonio.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 20, 2020
RICE: I don't know what his soul is, but his behavior is appalling.
From Reuters ● Jan. 27, 2012
RICE: She was absolutely right to speak up for our values.
From Reuters ● Jan. 27, 2012
RICE: I think what would undermine American credibility is if we said something we didn't believe.
From Time Magazine Archive
"Hens like artificial light," says Professor RICE, of Cornell University, "and if provided with it will lay through the winter."
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 156, April 9, 1919 by Various
It’s one of the best fried rices in the South End: aromatic with smoky wok hei, seasoned with a clarion-sweet soy sauce and amped up with MSG.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 29, 2023
Among black rices there are also different shades, from japonica black rice, Chinese black rice, Thai black rice through to Indonesian black rice.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2023
I go to a little place to buy dumplings and I get various rices, like black rice or green rice or jasmine rice or sticky rice.
From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2020
You can put them into bins by groups, you can have all your rices together, instead.”
From Slate ● Mar. 27, 2018
Indeed, a constant observer will distinguish in dogs many of the passions, virtues, and rices of men; and it is generally the case, that those of the purest race have the nobler qualifications.
From Olla Podrida by Frederick Marryat
If the core is tender, you can turn it into riced cauliflower along with the florets; otherwise, reserve it for another use as it won’t cook up the same.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 13, 2023
In a large bowl, toss together the riced cauliflower, parsley, bell pepper, kohlrabi, onion, oil, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 16, 2022
A spicy tomato base serves as the chili's foundation for shredded kale, riced cauliflower, and white navy beans, making it a veggie-heavy meal that will actually keep you satiated.
From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2021
Trader Joe’s, with more than 450 stores nationwide, started carrying its own brand of riced cauliflower last year that sold out so quickly that some stores reportedly instituted a two-bag limit on customers.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 15, 2018
Serve with a garnish of rice or riced potatoes.
From Miss Parloa's New Cook Book by Maria Parloa
This takes the work out of ricing a head of cauliflower, for instance, and makes mincing garlic and ginger less of a chore.
From Salon ● Mar. 11, 2023
“Ricing to me is real spiritual. There’s a lot who have gone home already, and when I’m ricing, the harder I work … the closer I am to them.”
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 20, 2022
A 44-year-old single dad, he takes his two boys and a nephew ricing to help cover the bills and for the kids to buy video games.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 20, 2022
But the beds are “continually shrinking,” said White, who’s been ricing for three decades.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 20, 2022
They were planning this year’s sugaring, a time everyone looked forward to with joy and excitement, as much as ricing, maybe even more.
From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
