millet

noun

mil·​let ˈmi-lət 

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

Its importance in the global food system was highlighted when the United Nations General Assembly declared 2023 the International Year of Millets, which led to initiatives encouraging greater millet cultivation, especially in Africa and Asia. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2026

Barley, sorghum, oats, millet, rye, and wild rice are grasses, too. —Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026

At the time of the explosion, the elevator was reportedly half full of 40,000 to 50,000 bushels of millet, wheat and milo — offering a glimpse of the scale of operations there. —Marissa Luck, Houston Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2026

White millet seed can be spread on the ground to attract ground-feeding birds. —Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026

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

Phrases Containing millet

• foxtail millet
• Japanese millet
• pearl millet

Rhymes for millet

• billet
• skillet
• willet
• acrylate
• carboxylate
• methacrylate

Kids Definition

millet

noun

mil·​let ˈmil-ət 

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  mi-ˈlā 

Jean-François 1814–1875 French painter