rye
noun
a widely cultivated cereal grass, Secale cereale, having one-nerved glumes and two- or three-flowered spikelets.
rye
1 American
[rahy]
/ raɪ /
noun
-
a widely cultivated cereal grass, Secale cereale, having one-nerved glumes and two- or three-flowered spikelets.
-
the seeds or grain of this plant, used for making flour and whiskey, and as a livestock feed.
-
a straight whiskey distilled from a mash containing 51 percent or more rye grain.
-
Northeastern U.S. and Canada. a blended whiskey.
adjective
rye
2
American
[rahy]
/ raɪ /
noun
Rye
3
American
[rahy]
/ raɪ /
noun
rye
1
British
/ raɪ /
noun
-
a tall hardy widely cultivated annual grass, Secale cereale , having soft bluish-green leaves, bristly flower spikes, and light brown grain See also wild rye
-
the grain of this grass, used in making flour and whiskey, and as a livestock food
-
Also called: rye whiskey. whiskey distilled from rye. US whiskey must by law contain not less than 51 per cent rye
-
short for rye bread
Rye
2
British
/ raɪ /
noun
rye
3
British
/ raɪ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of rye1
before 900; Middle English; Old English ryge; cognate with Old Norse rūgr; akin to Dutch rogge, German Roggen
Origin of rye2
First recorded in 1850–55; from Romani rai “man, gentleman,” ultimately from Sanskrit rājan “king”; see origin at rajah ( def. )
Explanation
Rye is a grain that's commonly used to make things like bread and beer. So much rye is grown in Eastern Europe that it's known as the "rye belt." The earliest rye appeared as invasive weeds that grew in fields of wheat. Once people began harvesting and making food with it, they realized what a hearty and versatile grain it was. Because rye grows in poor soils and thrives even with limited amounts of sunlight, it was once commonly referred to as a "poverty grain." Today you can find rye all over the supermarket, in bread, flour, crackers, and whiskey.
Vocabulary lists containing rye
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:
Spread it on rye crackers with dill and peak-summer tomatoes, or serve it as a dip alongside fresh vegetables and chips.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
"In preliminary studies, other researchers found that rye pollen could help different animal models clear tumors through some unknown, non-toxic mechanism," said Northwestern's Karl A. Scheidt, who led the study.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 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
Langer’s Deli’s No. 19 is the “best sandwich in America,” he says of the pastrami on rye.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
In a normal world, Dad would be ordering a double pastrami on rye while I got the ham and cheese with no tomato, no onion, and no lettuce.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
Rye pollen extract is already sold as a dietary supplement that many people use to support prostate health.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
The model first went on display in 1976 and quickly became the centrepiece of the "Story of Rye", an immersive show designed to tell 700 years of local history.
From BBC ● Apr. 12, 2026
Rye grows in stubborn soil and stores well.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
In Rye: Playing a boy named Josh in the movie “Big,” Tom Hanks consults Zoltar, a fortune-telling machine at Playland Amusement Park.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
I head down the steps to see if my mail-order copy of The Catcher in the Rye is in the box.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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.
