barley

noun

bar·​ley ˈbär-lē How to pronounce barley (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall affect the growth of essential grains like corn and barley, potentially leading to shortages and higher costs. Rachel King, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024 Their goal with the beer baths, which allow the user to soak in a cedar hydrotherapy tub filled with a blend of hops, barley, and herbs designed to maximize hair, skin, and mind benefits, is to break the stigma that spa treatments are just for women. Sara Hansen, The Denver Post, 19 Dec. 2024 Crown Royal, which is owned by drinks giant Diageo, is produced at a large distillery in Gimli, Manitoba (and a smaller one in Quebec), where five different styles of whisky are made from grains like corn, rye, and barley on pot and column stills. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2024 Final harvest numbers aren’t fully tallied yet, but the year’s harvest for local agriculture, including key products like corn, wheat and barley, seems variable too, said Shannon Dill, principal agent at the University of Maryland Extension in Talbot County. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barley 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of barley was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near barley

Cite this Entry

“Barley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barley. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

barley

noun
bar·​ley ˈbär-lē How to pronounce barley (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce barley (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on barley

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