sticky rice

noun

: a cultivated short-grain rice that is plump and sticky when cooked : glutinous rice
sticky rice contains the highest amount of amylopectin and no amylose. Sticky rice is used to make signature sweet dishes in Asia.Chicago Daily Herald
Sticky rice is the primary kind of rice consumed here [in northeast Thailand]. It's perfect to pack for lunch out on the farm, because it has high caloric density and can be eaten without utensils.Pailin Chongchitnant
sticky rice doesn't actually contain sugar (though it can easily be worked into a … dough to make mochi, and a vast range of sweets).Tejal Rao

Examples of sticky rice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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An homage to Thailand, this unisex fragrance captures the rich and tangy flavor of the popular dessert, with ripe mango, sticky rice and coconut milk as its main ingredients. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sticky rice was in 1842

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Cite this Entry

“Sticky rice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sticky%20rice. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.

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