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

Specialty cocktails make an appearance, too, like the Sassi Fashion, with Four Roses bourbon, hazelnut maple syrup and Amaro, and the Mercante, with Buffalo Trace bourbon, Sazerac rye, Carpano Antica, Campari, Amaro del Capo and aperitivo. —Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2026

This rustic sourdough is made with wheat and rye flour and rolled oats, plus a bit of honey and brown sugar for some sweetness. —Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 Mar. 2026

Bins below it are labeled with varieties of wheat, two types of corn, rye and brown rice. —Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas Morning News, 9 Mar. 2026

Take Fort Worth’s TX Whiskey, a small operation that can’t technically be called a craft distillery (it’s owned by Pernod Ricard) that produces a so-so blend and some good bourbon and rye. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2026

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