whole grain

noun

plural whole grains

: an unmilled grain (such as wheat, rice, or barley) having its bran, germ, and endosperm intact

Start with a whole grain, such as brown rice, millet, or whole wheat.

—Cynthia Lair

Fill half your plate with a variety of vegetables and fruit. Add 20 to 30 grams of protein as well as carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans and whole grains.

—Emily Marrison

also : a grain that has been ground or processed but not hulled or refined

Processed whole grains are whole grains that have been cracked (as in cracked wheat bread), rolled (as in rolled oat cereal), crushed or ground (as in whole-wheat flour and bulgur) or extruded (as in whole-wheat pasta). They provide the same nutrients found in the original kernel of grain.

—Anastasia Schepers

Whole-grain flours have a more complex taste and create a heartier texture than refined white flours because they include the bran and germ.

—Chicago Sun-Times

Examples of whole grain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Along with fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, fruit like strawberries is part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan. — Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026

The house sauce is a ketchup, mayo and whole grain mustard combination, halfway between fry sauce and Thousand Island. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026

Pairing beans with leafy greens, seasonal vegetables, whole grains and a small amount of olive oil, as Blue Zones residents do, is a low-cost way to reshape a weekly menu. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Yams, sweet potatoes and whole grains round out the traditional Blue Zones diet. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for whole grain

• aeroplane
• appertain
• ascertain
• capitaine
• cassegrain
• cellophane
• chatelaine
• counterpane
• entertain
• halothane
• hurricane
• hyperplane