teff

American  

[tef] / tɛf /

noun

1. a grass, Eragrostis tef, native to the Horn of Africa, where it is cultivated for its edible seeds.

2. the edible seeds of the grass Eragrostis tef.

3. Sometimes teff flour a flour made from the edible seeds of the grass Eragrostis tef, used especially in the cuisine of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

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Etymology

Origin of teff

First recorded in 1780–90; from Amharic t’ef; compare Geez t’ah’əf, t’ayəf

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

teff

Before applying the technique to strawberry, the team tested it in well-studied allopolyploid crops, including teff and cotton.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026

At an elevation of about 2500 meters on Ethiopia’s Amhara plain, villagers conduct an ancient ritual—harvesting delicate stalks of teff by hand.

From Science Magazine ● Nov. 26, 2024

Whole grains like teff, quinoa and wheat are great sources of protein.

From Salon ● Mar. 27, 2023

We then agreed to try the teff, kernza, oat and cornmeal varieties, until nearly every loaf had been trimmed and the slices sectioned into morsels slathered with butter that melted on contact.

From New York Times ● Mar. 6, 2023

The bread made from it is called teff, and is the ordinary food of the country, that made from wheat being only used by the higher classes.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by Simmonds, P. L.