millet

noun

mil·​let ˈmi-lət How to pronounce millet (audio)
1
: any of various small-seeded annual cereal and forage grasses:
a
: a Eurasian grass (Panicum miliaceum) cultivated for its grain which is used for food
b
: any of several grasses related to common millet
2
: the seed of a millet

Examples of millet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For this, chiropractor recommended bed pillows have unusual stuffings inside them, namely buckwheat and millet hulls. Brianna Kamienski, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 In place of quinoa, try this with brown rice, millet, barley, bulgur, farro or freekeh, adjusting the cooking time as needed. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 Creating a great grain salad can be organized into four key components: Grains: Virtually any grain can lay the foundation: wheat berries and their ancient relatives farro and einkorn, rye berries, sorghum, quinoa, millet, rice of all kinds. Emily Horton, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Environmental impact of buckwheat and millet pillows Besides their health benefits, buckwheat and millet pillows have also been revered for their sustainability and eco-friendliness. Sixteen Ramos, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 Despite increasing his millet harvest, Mr. Badiane is not done improving yet. Jack Thompson, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jan. 2024 An elderly woman on the sidewalk selling small, homegrown quantities of millet and barley. E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2024 At this casual restaurant, the five grains are literal: The noodle soup includes strands made from rice, buckwheat, millet, sorghum and corn. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2024 Even hardier, traditional crops such as millet and cassava need to be bred into tougher strains, said Chiedozie Egesi, project director of the Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project and adjunct professor of plant breeding and genetics at Cornell University. Katharine Houreld, Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'millet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English milet, from Middle French, from Old French, diminutive of mil, from Latin milium; akin to Greek melinē millet

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of millet was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near millet

Cite this Entry

“Millet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/millet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

millet

noun
mil·​let ˈmil-ət How to pronounce millet (audio)
1
: a grass cultivated for its small shiny whitish seeds used as human and bird food and sometimes grown for hay
2
: the seed of a millet

Biographical Definition

Millet

biographical name

Mil·​let mē-ˈyā How to pronounce Millet (audio)
mi-ˈlā
Jean-François 1814–1875 French painter

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