hordeum

noun

hor·​de·​um

ˈhȯ(r)dēəm

1

capitalized : a widely distributed genus of grasses having the flowers in dense spikes often with long-awned glumes and the one-flowered spikelets in clusters of two or three at each joint of the rachis see barley

2

plural -s : any grass of the genus Hordeum

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, barley; akin to Old High German gersta barley, Greek kri, Albanian drith, and probably to Latin horrēre to bristle

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!