rice

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noun \ ˈrīs \

Definition of rice

:the starchy seeds of an annual southeast Asian cereal grass (Oryza sativa) that are cooked and used for food; also :this cereal grass that is widely cultivated in warm climates for its seeds and by-products — compare wild rice

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See rice defined for kids

Examples of rice in a Sentence

Rice is the main crop of the country.

Recent Examples of rice from the Web

For smaller gadgets, like MP3 players or phones, survival odds can be improved with submersion in a bowl of uncooked rice or silica gel packets—items that will soak up water.

— Popular Mechanics, "How to Evacuate Before a Storm or Flood," 25 Aug. 2017
Boonsong Teriyapirom, a former commerce minister in Yingluck’s administration, was sentenced to 42 years in prison for helping secure a fraudulent rice contract.

— Washington Post, "Official: Embattled ex-PM flees Thailand ahead of verdict," 25 Aug. 2017
So that’s what the restaurant is serving, atop a bed of gallo pinto (red beans and rice) with a side of sweet maduros.

— carlos frias, miamiherald, "Local restaurants and craft beer: The Dolphins are getting serious about good food," 10 Aug. 2017
Tiny leaves of just-snipped mugwort balance the brooding force of black rice and baby turnips.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
On the Dallas menu, the lobster-tail fajitas tie with the lobster rice with scallops for most expensive dish, at $29; the least expensive entree (not counting taco plates) is enchiladas verdes de pollo at $14.

— robert philpot, star-telegram, "Thai, Mexican restaurants moving into the West 7th area," 17 July 2017
Before an event Howe avoids the stereotypical pasta carbo-load, instead eating salmon or steak over white rice, with avocado and a side of sweet potatoes.

— jeremy fuchs, SI.com, "Ultramarathoner Stephanie Howe shares her simple secrets for superb nutrition," 17 July 2017
There's a lot going on with the baklava, accompanied by black-sesame ice cream and sprinkled with sesame and perilla seeds, and wild rice; green-tea anglaise sits beneath the baklava, and honey, interrupted by dots of lemon curd, surrounds it.

— phil vettel, chicagotribune.com, "Review: Ruxbin grows up with clean-line decor that matches chef Kim's precise cooking," 7 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

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

Illustration of rice

Origin and Etymology of rice

Middle English rys, from Anglo-French ris, from Old Italian riso, from Greek oryza, oryzon, of Iranian origin; akin to Pashto wriže rice; akin to Sanskrit vrīhi rice

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

RICE

abbreviation

Definition of RICE

rest, ice, compression, elevation

Rice

play

biographical name \ ˈrīs \

Definition of Rice

Condoleezza 1954– U.S. Secretary of State (2005–09)

Rice

biographical name

Definition of Rice

Elmer Leopold 1892–1967 originally Elmer Reizenstein American dramatist

RICE Defined for English Language Learners

rice

play

noun

Definition of rice for English Language Learners

: small white or brown grains that come from a southeast Asian plant and that are used for food
: the plant that produces rice

RICE Defined for Kids

rice

play

noun \ ˈrīs \

Definition of rice for Students

:the small seeds of a tall cereal grass widely grown in warm wet regions that are the chief food in many parts of the world

Medical Dictionary

RICE

abbreviation

medical Definition of RICE

rest, ice, compression, elevation —used especially for the initial treatment of many usually minor sports-related injuries (as sprains)

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

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