rye / rī/ • n. 1. a wheatlike cereal plant (Secale cereale) that tolerates poor soils and low temperatures. ∎  grains of this, used mainly for making bread or whiskey and for fodder. 2. (also rye whiskey) whiskey in which a significant amount of the grain used in distillation is fermented rye. 3. short for rye bread: pastrami on rye.ORIGIN: Old English ryge, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch rogge and German Roggen.

rye Grain of Secale cereale, the predominant cereal in some parts of Europe; very hardy and withstands adverse conditions better than wheat. Rye flour is dark and the dough lacks elasticity; rye bread is usually made with sour dough rather than yeast. See also bread, rye; crispbreads; ergot; ergotism; pumpernickel.

rye OE. ryġe = ON. rugr :- Gmc. *ruʒiʒ (cf. *roʒʒan-, *ruʒʒn- in OS. roggo (Du. rogge, rog), OHG. rokko); cf. Lith. rugȳs, OSl. rŭžĭ (Russ. rozhʿ).
Hence rye-grass A. for earlier ray-grass (XVII), grass of the genus Lolium (†ray darnel XIV, of unkn. orig.); B. wild rye. XVIII.

rye Hardy, cereal grass originating in sw Asia and naturalized throughout the world. It grows in poor soils and colder climates than most other cereals can stand. It has flower spikelets that develop one-seeded grains. It is used for flour, as a forage crop and for making alcoholic drinks. Height: to 0.9m (3ft). Family Poaceae/Gramineae; species Secale cereale.

rye See SECALE.