: any of an economically important genus (Sorghum) of Old World tropical grasses similar to corn in habit but with the spikelets in pairs on a hairy rachis
especially: any of various cultivars (such as grain sorghum or sorgo) derived from a wild form (S. bicolor synonym S. vulgare)
2
: syrup from the juice of a sorgo that resembles cane syrup
Illustration of sorghum
sorghum 1
Examples of sorghum in a Sentence
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This old-fashioned, double-crust pie may look ordinary on the outside, but when it's sliced, the inside reveals vibrant orange layers of sweet potatoes flecked with spices and sweetened with sugar and sorghum syrup.—Nancie McDermott, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2023 This old-fashioned, double-crust pie may look ordinary on the outside, but when it's sliced, the inside reveals vibrant orange layers of sweet potatoes flecked with spices and sweetened with sugar and sorghum syrup.—Nancie McDermott, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2023 But other accounts say that sorghum arrived in North America with enslaved Africans, who’d braided seeds from the native plant into their hair.—Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023 To make this dessert, Zack buys a rich, earthy sorghum syrup made by the Seminole nation and folds it into a luscious custard.—The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Sep. 2023 This Thoroughbred horse farm combines bourbon tastings from distilleries around the state with hyperlocal food (cast-iron corn bread with sorghum brown butter; whole trout with butter beans), all in a single agritourism package.—Emily Bingham, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2023 What is the difference between molasses and sorghum syrup?—Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2023 Lightly spiced with brown sugar and cinnamon, the filling really lets the flavor of sorghum shine.—Keia Mastrianni, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2023 Farmers in Texas are accustomed to hot summers, but the severe heat wave rippling through the state brought high temperatures earlier than usual, said Russell Boening, who grows corn and sorghum and raises beef and dairy cattle south of San Antonio.—Annie Probert, NBC News, 13 July 2023 See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sorghum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Italian sorgo, from Vulgar Latin *Syricum (granum), literally, Syrian grain
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