rye

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   A hardy cereal plant, or its grain, grown for bread, animal feed and drinks.

   Grammar: No plural: a field of rye, rye flour.

   Patterns

   • a field of rye
   • rye flour

   Farmers in the north grow rye because it survives cold winters.

   Rye flour gives the loaf its dense texture.

   Rye was sown across the hills last autumn.

2. 2noununcountableinformal

   Whiskey made mostly from rye grain, or bread made from rye flour.

   Grammar: Often used with a drink or bread order: a rye on the rocks, ham on rye.

   Patterns

   • ham on rye
   • rye and ginger

   He ordered a rye and ginger ale at the bar.

   She asked for a pastrami sandwich on rye.

   This bar stocks several small-batch ryes.

Word forms

Common combinations

rye bread

The deli sells dark rye bread.

rye flour

Mix rye flour with water for the starter.

rye whiskey

Rye whiskey is spicier than most bourbons.

field of rye

Wind rippled across the field of rye.

sandwich on rye

He ate a turkey sandwich on rye.

Synonyms and how they differ

wheat

Wheat is a different grain with a lighter taste, while rye gives denser bread and a sharper flavour.

barley

Barley is another cereal, used mostly for beer and soups, while rye is used for bread and whiskey.

bourbon

Bourbon is whiskey made mainly from corn, while rye is made mainly from rye grain.

Word family

ryegrass noun

a grass grown for pasture and lawns

rye bread noun

dark bread made with rye flour

rye whiskey noun

a spirit distilled mainly from rye

Commonly confused: rye or wry? rye or Rye?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “rye”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words