wheat
Americannoun
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the grain of any cereal grass of the genus Triticum, especially T. aestivum, used in the form of flour for making bread, cakes, etc., and for other culinary and nutritional purposes.
-
the plant itself.
noun
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any annual or biennial grass of the genus Triticum, native to the Mediterranean region and W Asia but widely cultivated, having erect flower spikes and light brown grains
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the grain of any of these grasses, used in making flour, pasta, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of wheat
before 900; Middle English whete, Old English hwǣte; cognate with German Weizen, Old Norse hveiti, Gothic hwaiteis; akin to white
Explanation
Wheat is the grain most commonly used in things like bread, pasta, and cake. When wheat is ground, it becomes flour you can use for baking. Who wants cupcakes? A field of wheat looks like tall, green grasses — the wheat turns golden-colored when it's ready to be harvested. More farmland is planted with wheat than any other crop, as it's a major worldwide source of carbohydrates. Some people are sensitive or allergic to the gluten in wheat, but most of us can safely eat and enjoy the many foods made from wheat. The Germanic source means "that which is white," from a root meaning "to shine."
Vocabulary lists containing wheat
Yellow
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Brown
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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.
The corn estimates are lower than anticipated by analysts this month, while the wheat estimate is slightly higher and the soybean estimate lower.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
The Agriculture Department has again adjusted its latest wheat-production forecast lower, projecting the smallest amount of wheat grown in the U.S. in over 50 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
More than 100 farms have been involved in the scheme, including Bedfordshire-based wheat farmer Charles Paynter.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
I like to work with slightly warm tortillas and line the outer edges with a simple wheat paste to secure the tortilla in place.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
If crops failed or prices for tobacco and wheat fell, as they often did, farmers went into debt.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
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.
