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• whole wheat
  whole wheat

  noun

  Usually whole wheat the complete kernel of wheat, including all of the germ and bran.
• whole-wheat
  whole-wheat

  adjective

  (of flour, bread, etc) made from the entire wheat kernel

whole wheat

American  

[hohl weet, hweet] / ˈhoʊl ˈwit, ˈʰwit /

Rarely wholewheat or whole-wheat

noun

1. Usually whole wheat the complete kernel of wheat, including all of the germ and bran.

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adjective

1. prepared using the complete wheat kernel.

whole-wheat British  

adjective

1. Also called (esp in Britain and certain other countries): wholemeal.  (of flour, bread, etc) made from the entire wheat kernel

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Etymology

Origin of whole wheat

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Insoluble fiber — found in foods like whole wheat and wheat bran — helps clear out the gut, and is not digested.

From MarketWatch • May 10, 2026

Starters made with whole wheat flour contained higher levels of Companilactobacillus, while those made with bread flour had more Levilactobacillus.

From Science Daily • Jan. 21, 2026

She began to cut out ultra-processed foods, instead opting for fresh fruit and vegetables, whole wheat pastas and oats.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

A loaf of whole wheat bread, for instance, can be classified as either a category 2 or a category 4 food, depending on the production method.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2025

She found fresh whole wheat pasta and cooked it with turkey sausage and broccoli rabe.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times