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

Gluten is a natural plant protein found in whole grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and some oats. —Lauren O'Connor, Ms, Rdn, Health, 16 Apr. 2025

Go whole hog on whole grains Hearty and versatile, whole grains — such as barley, brown rice, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rye and whole wheat — contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, germ and endosperm. —Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025

In addition to aiding in disease management, winter wheat and rye are great soil builders. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025

That said, many Kentucky distilleries also make other types of whiskey (like rye or American single malts) or other types of spirits. —Kara Newman, AFAR Media, 19 Apr. 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