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

Biologists estimate that prior to the canal, about 12,500 ducks would winter along the river, as the annual flooding both allowed for wild millet, a favorite food for many species of wild duck, and offered prime habitat for both migrating and resident waterfowl. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 29 June 2025

Archaeologists analyzing pottery vessels found evidence of ingredients such as barley and broomcorn millet. —Literary Hub, 12 June 2025

Couscous: Use small-grain alternatives like quinoa or millet instead of traditional couscous. —Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Rdn, Health, 16 Apr. 2025

Dalton’s laboratory works in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Senegal to understand the effects of intensifying heat and drought on rice, sorghum, millet, and wheat. —Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

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