oat

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noun, often attributive \ ˈōt \

Definition of oat

1 a :any of several grasses (genus Avena); especially :a widely cultivated cereal grass (A. sativa)

b :a crop or plot of the oat; also :the seed of an oat —usually used in pl. but singular or plural in construction

2 archaic :a reed instrument made of an oat straw

— feel one's oats

:to act in a newly self-confident and often self-important manner

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Recent Examples of oat from the Web

Another Korean beauty fave, this potent essence-slash-toner features aloe vera and oat kernel extract to soothe irritated skin, argan oil for long-lasting moisture, and fermented dandelion extract to improve the skin's texture.

— stephanie saltzman, Allure, "The Best Beauty Products to Buy at Costco," 28 Aug. 2017
Blend until the oats are finely chopped into a course flour consistency.

— Philly.com, "Healthy family recipe: Sweet banana oatmeal pancakes with blueberry topping," 25 Aug. 2017
Meanwhile, at the cafe, visitors will find healthier snacks like a variety of toasts, coconut chia pudding, and oat and spelt porridge to linger over.

— devorah lev-tov, CNT, "How and Where to Fika in Stockholm," 18 Aug. 2017
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until oats are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

— martha stewart, star-telegram, "Packing for the weekend? Put your clothing choices in neutral," 29 July 2017
Make overnight oats in individual containers or batch cook a large portion of oatmeal.

— jae berman, charlotteobserver, "Not reaching your wellness goals? Take a look at your nighttime routine," 19 July 2017
Fertel traveled widely, often using oat bags from the Fair Grounds as luggage.

— NOLA.com, "Remembering Rodney Fertel's 'gorilla' campaign for New Orleans mayor," 12 July 2017
Out of six other taste testers, the items that stumped us the most were granolas (honey oat and blueberry flax) and agave syrup.

— alyse whitney, Bon Appetit, "All the Food at This Company Will Be $3 or Less," 11 July 2017
Just six weeks later, the first cases of Brekki overnight oats rolled off the assembly line.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Encinitas duo make Brekki their big break," 6 July 2017

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

Illustration of oat

Origin and Etymology of oat

Middle English ote, from Old English āte

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First Known Use: before 12th century

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OAT Defined for English Language Learners

oat

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noun

Definition of oat for English Language Learners

: a kind of grain that is widely grown
oats : the seeds of the oat plant used as feed for farm animals and in foods (such as bread and oatmeal) for people

OAT Defined for Kids

oat

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noun \ ˈōt \

Definition of oat for Students

1 :a cereal grass grown for its loose clusters of seeds that are used for human food and animal feed

2 oats plural :a crop or the seeds of the oat

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See words that rhyme with oat Spanish Central: Translation of oat Nglish: Translation of oat for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oat for Arabic speakers

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