rye

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈrī 

1

: a hardy annual grass (Secale cereale) that is widely grown for grain and as a cover crop

2

: the seeds of rye

3

: rye bread

4

: rye whiskey

rye

2 of 2

noun (2)

: a male member of the Roma

Examples of rye in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

According to George, this is a nod to pre-Prohibition Monongahela rye, a style of whiskey made in Pennsylvania that usually had no corn in the mashbill. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 June 2026

Every kernel of corn, rye, wheat, and barley that goes into a Frey Ranch whiskey is grown on the ranch, the barley malted on-site, milled, mashed, distilled, aged, and bottled within the same property. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

The cocktail menu leans toward the unexpected as in the a Rye-Ami Vice (rye, strawberry, toasted coconut, and pineapple), or the Good Will, made with bourbon, miso, banana, and chocolate bitters. —Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2026

What Gluten Actually Does in the Body Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, barley, and rye that offers structure, support, and elasticity to food. —Christina Manian, Health, 29 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English ryge; akin to Old High German rocko rye, Lithuanian rugys

Noun (2)

borrowed from Welsh Romani raj "lord, gentleman," going back to an Old Indo-Aryan cognate of Sanskrit rā́jan- "king" — more at royal entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1851, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rye

• rye bread
• rye whiskey
• wild rye

Rhymes for rye

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

Kids Definition

rye

noun

ˈrī

1

: a hardy annual cereal grass widely grown for grain and as a cover crop

also : its seeds

2

: rye bread

3

: whiskey distilled from rye or from rye and malt

Medical Definition

rye

noun

ˈrī 

1

: a hardy annual grass (Secale cereale) that is widely grown for grain and as a cover crop

2

: the seeds of rye used for bread flour, whiskey manufacture, feed for farm animals (as poultry), and especially formerly in the roasted state as a coffee substitute

Geographical Definition

Rye

geographical name

ˈrī 

town in East Sussex, southeastern England population 4800