buckwheat

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noun buck·wheat \ ˈbək-ˌhwēt , -ˌwēt \

Definition of buckwheat

1 :any of a genus (Fagopyrum of the family Polygonaceae, the buckwheat family) of Eurasian herbs with alternate leaves, clusters of apetalous pinkish-white flowers, and triangular seeds; especially :either of two plants (F. esculentum and F. tartaricum) cultivated for their edible seeds

2 :the seed of a buckwheat used as a cereal grain

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Recent Examples of buckwheat from the Web

The buckwheat noodle is instead being used here in a cold salad.

— daniel b. kline, USA TODAY, "13 unique Starbucks menu items from around the world," 28 Aug. 2017
Grains, including (but is not limited to) wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, sprouted grains, as well as quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat.

— molly kimball, cleveland.com, "Whole30: Extreme healthy eating, with specific do's and don'ts," 15 Aug. 2017
Instead of using noodles from Sun Noodle, L.A.’s industry standard, Lett makes them himself, with artisanal wheat from Central Milling and a small percentage of Anson Mills buckwheat, which gives the noodles a distinct, sandy color.

— gillian ferguson, latimes.com, "The guy who brought us Gjelina is now making ramen, gyoza (and natto hand rolls) on Abbot Kinney," 4 Aug. 2017
Although the word wheat is in its name, buckwheat is actually gluten-free.

— terri milligan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Lettuce not included: These summer salads showcase veggies, fruits and grains," 18 July 2017
There are many different kinds of grains, including wheat, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, rye, oats, etc.

— bryant stamford, The Courier-Journal, "If you see 'whole wheat,' it's definitely healthy, right? Sorry, maybe not," 6 July 2017
This forced them to do about 100 hours of research and begin experimenting with specialty flours, almonds, coconuts and buckwheat flour.

— william thornton, AL.com, "The Barkery serves up treats for Montgomery's dogs (and a few cats)," 6 July 2017
Fold into buckwheat along with tomatoes, basil, mint, goat cheese and nuts.

— ashleigh spitza, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Buckwheat Salad with Zucchini and Goat Cheese," 3 July 2017
Even though the baby was not diagnosed with lactose or gluten intolerance, the parents suspected Lucas had that, and started experimenting with different alternatives like rice, quinoa and buckwheat milk.

— raf casert, The Seattle Times, "Belgian court convicts parents in baby’s malnutrition death," 14 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'buckwheat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of buckwheat

Dutch boekweit, from Middle Dutch boecweit, from boec- (akin to Old High German buohha beech tree) + weit wheat — more at beech

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First Known Use: 1548

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BUCKWHEAT Defined for English Language Learners

buckwheat

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noun

Definition of buckwheat for English Language Learners

: a plant with dark seeds that are used to make grain and flour; also : grain or flour made from the seeds of the buckwheat plant

BUCKWHEAT Defined for Kids

buckwheat

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noun buck·wheat \ ˈbək-ˌhwēt , -ˌwēt \

Definition of buckwheat for Students

:a plant with pinkish white flowers that is grown for its dark triangular seeds which are used as a cereal grain

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See words that rhyme with buckwheat Spanish Central: Translation of buckwheat Nglish: Translation of buckwheat for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of buckwheat for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buckwheat

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