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

Denmark breathes in quiet rhythm—where gentle meadows and sleek wind turbines turn like slow dancers above golden barley and silvery rye. —Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

And with a wide variety of options like white, multigrain, sourdough, wheat and rye crowding grocery store shelves, the decision of which kind to bring home often comes down to cost, convenience or habit over any nutritional considerations. —Daryl Austin, USA Today, 31 July 2025

The role of gluten Among many culprits in the modern diet, gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, ingredients commonly used to make pasta and bread — has gotten a lot of attention. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025

One study suggests that sulfite sensitivity may affect up to 10% of people with asthma. Grains Beer and some spirits contain wheat, barley, or rye, which may trigger reactions in people with grain or gluten allergies. —Lauryn Higgins, Time, 22 July 2025

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