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.
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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.
Wheat production was cut to 1.54 billion bushels, down nearly 20 million bushels due to lower output of hard red winter wheat.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Brian Wheat, the band’s bassist and manager, said he’s excited the new venue will help change that.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
About the author: J. Marc Wheat is the general counsel for Advancing American Freedom.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Wheat prices surged to record highs above $13 per bushel in early 2022.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
We laid it all out on the table, right among the bowls of Wheat Chex and peeled baby oranges.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
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.
