ryegrass

noun

rye·​grass ˈrī-ˌgras 

: any of several grasses (genus Lolium)

especially : either of two grasses (L. perenne and L. multiflorum) that are used as lawn and pasture grasses and as cover crops

Examples of ryegrass in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Avoid unnecessary tillage, which can break fungal hyphae, and keep living roots in the ground when practical through perennial plantings or compatible cover crops such as annual ryegrass and crimson clover. — Dr. Avishesh Neupane, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026

Cool-season grasses such as fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass do not commonly form thick thatch layers in Southern landscapes. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 July 2026

By contrast, cooler (and indoor) climates will combine Kentucky bluegrass (84 per cent) with perennial ryegrass (16 per cent) — a surface those who play their football in Europe will be more familiar with. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 14 July 2026

For Vancouver, the ryegrass takes center stage, better suited to the Vancouver climate (southern stadiums may go heavier in Kentucky bluegrass). — Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1690, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ryegrass

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass