barley

noun

bar·​ley ˈbär-lē 

: a cereal grass (genus Hordeum and especially H. vulgare) having the flowers in dense spikes with long awns and three spikelets at each joint of the rachis

also : its seed used especially in malt beverages, breakfast foods, and stock feeds

Examples of barley in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These rare cultivars of rye, corn, and barley were developed decades or even centuries ago and have fallen largely out of use. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 16 June 2024

All corn, barley, wheat, and rye are from Sawyer Farms in Hillsboro. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 June 2024

Launched in 2017, Heineken 0.0 is made with water, barley malt, hop extracts and yeast—the same ingredients used for Heineken. —Sarah Jacob, TIME, 31 May 2024

Under her 50-year leadership as chairman of the farm board, Ak-Chin Farms became known as one of the nation's largest successful farms, growing potatoes, cotton, barley, alfalfa and corn. —Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 25 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English barly, from Old English bærlic of barley; akin to Old English bere barley, Latin far spelt

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing barley

• barley-bree
• barley-broo
• barley sugar
• barley wine

Kids Definition

barley

noun

bar·​ley ˈbär-lē 

: a cereal grass with flowers in dense spikes

also : its seed used especially in malt beverages, in foods (as soups and cereals), or as feed for livestock

Medical Definition

barley

noun

bar·​ley ˈbär-lē 

: a cereal grass (genus Hordeum, especially H. vulgare) having the flowers in dense spikes with long awns

also : its seed used in malt beverages and in breakfast foods and stock feeds