wheat

noun

ˈ(h)wēt

often attributive

: a cereal grain that yields a fine white flour used chiefly in breads, baked goods (such as cakes and crackers), and pastas (such as macaroni or spaghetti), and is important in animal feeds

: any of various Old World annual grasses (genus Triticum, especially T. aestivum and T. turgidum) of wide climatic adaptability that are cultivated in most temperate areas for the wheat they yield

: a light yellow

Example Sentences

a turkey sandwich on wheat

Recent Examples on the Web Stalks of yellow wheat bend in the wind; clouds tumble across the sky; the purplish-blue limestone hills known as the Alpilles undulate in the distance. —

Deborah Solomon, New York Times, 11 May 2023 One cup of bulgar wheat provides around 17 grams of protein. —

Women's Health, 1 May 2023 But with international grain shortages due to the war in Ukraine, Egypt has relied heavily on Russia to provide wheat that has helped stave off social unrest over rising food prices and an economic crisis caused in part by fallout from the conflict. —

Missy Ryan, Evan Hill And Siobhán O'grady, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Apr. 2023 Pet Wants Loveland Pet Wants Loveland, a franchise that sells pet food with no wheat, corn, soy, sugar, fillers or artificial colors, is expected to open at 110 S. Second St. early in May. —

Jeanne Houck, The Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2023 Commodity subsidies also encourage mass production of wheat, soybeans and corn, Fakhri said. —

oregonlive, 24 Mar. 2023 The result, Passing Clouds, is like a cross between a pét-nat (a natural effervescent wine) and a wheat beer, with a hint of pear cider as well. —

Baroness Sheri De Borchgrave, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2023 Ukraine and Russia are leading global suppliers of wheat, sunflower oil, and other agricultural products, and Moscow’s Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine drove food prices higher across the world. —

Hanna Arhirova, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Mar. 2023 For example, many Jews in Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Iran continue consuming rice throughout Passover, and traditionally will check rice three times for accidental grains of wheat in the mix before consuming it during the holiday. —

Jamie Kravitz, Woman's Day, 7 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wheat.' 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

Middle English whete, going back to Old English hwǣte, going back to Germanic *hwaitja- (whence also Old Frisian wēt "wheat," Old Saxon hwēti, Middle Dutch weit, weite, Old High German hweizi, weizi, Old Icelandic hveiti, Gothic ƕaiteis "cereal grain"), collective derivative from the stem of *hwīta- white entry 1; probably so called from the light color of the ripe ears or the flour made from it

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of wheat was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Wheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheat. Accessed 30 May. 2023.

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Kids Definition

wheat

noun

ˈhwēt

ˈwēt

: a cereal grain that can be made into a fine white flour used mostly in breads, baked goods (as cakes and crackers), and pastas (as macaroni or spaghetti) and that is used in animal feeds

: any of a genus of grasses grown in most temperate areas for the wheat they produce

especially : a grass with long dense flower spikes and white to dark red grains that is the chief source of wheat and is known only in cultivation