straw

1 of 2

noun

ˈstrȯ 

1

a

: stalks of grain after threshing

broadly : dry stalky plant residue used like grain straw (as for bedding or packing)

b

: a natural or artificial heavy fiber used for weaving, plaiting, or braiding

2

: a dry coarse stem especially of a cereal grass

3

a(1)

: something of small worth or significance

(2)

: something too insubstantial to provide support or help in a desperate situation

clutching at straws

b

: chaff sense 2

4

a

: something (such as a hat) made of straw

b

: a tube (as of paper, plastic, or glass) for sucking up a beverage

5

: straw yellow

strawy

ˈstrȯ-ē 

adjective

straw

2 of 2

adjective

1

: made of straw

a straw hat

2

: of, relating to, or used for straw

a straw barn

3

: of the color of straw : pale yellow in color

straw hair

4

: of little or no value : worthless

5

: of, relating to, resembling, or being a straw man

6

: of, relating to, or concerned with the discovery of preferences by means of a straw vote

Phrases

straw in the wind

: a slight fact that is an indication of a coming event

Synonyms

Adjective

• blond
• blonde
• fair
• flaxen
• golden
• sandy
• tawny

Examples of straw in a Sentence

Noun

He was chewing on a straw.

He asked for a straw for his iced tea.

She drank the juice through a straw.

Adjective

the cheese maker told us that the best Parmesan cheeses are straw, not white, in color

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hadid styled her Western look with a beige straw hat and a cowgirl belt buckle. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024

Below him, in the courtyard, a gardener wearing a straw hat and a long skirt was spraying and snipping at the climbers. —Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024

Adjective

Their 2021 Piere Sauvignon Blanc is straw colored with aromas of chalk, wet river stones, and citrus blossoms. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 9 May 2024

Inside the container is straw, alfalfa, water and vegetables, and electronic equipment will monitor the temperature and allow technicians to even talk to the animal. —Alicia Fernández, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English strēaw; akin to Old High German strō straw, Old English strewian to strew

First Known Use

Noun

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

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing straw

• last straw
• man of straw
• straw boss
• straw-colored
• straw hat
• straw man
• straw mushroom
• straw vote
• straw wine
• straw yellow
• the final/last straw
• the straw that breaks/broke the camel's back

Kids Definition

straw

1 of 2 noun

ˈstrȯ 

1

a

: stalks of grain after threshing

also : any dry stalky plant part used like grain straw (as for bedding or in packing)

pine straw

b

: a natural or artificial fiber used for weaving or braiding

2

: a dry coarse stem especially of a cereal grass

3

a

: something of small worth or importance

not worth a straw

b

: something too weak to provide help in a desperate situation

clutch at any straw in a crisis

4

: a tube usually of plastic for sucking up a beverage

strawy

ˈstrȯ(-)i 

adjective

straw

2 of 2 adjective

1

: made of straw

a straw hat

2

: of the pale yellow color of straw