millet

noun

mil·​let ˈmi-lət 

1

: any of various small-seeded annual cereal and forage grasses:

a

: a Eurasian grass (Panicum miliaceum) cultivated for its grain which is used for food

b

: any of several grasses related to common millet

2

: the seed of a millet

Examples of millet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gluten-free sourdough bread is made with gluten-free flours such as those made with millet, sorghum, teff, quinoa, and buckwheat. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 28 Jan. 2025

This rustic millet flatbread paired with a fiery garlic chutney highlights the earthy and robust flavors of rural Rajasthan. —Kaila Yu, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Another essential family dish, prepared in Somnath’s mother’s family for generations, is a sweet dish made from millet called dudhiyo bajro. —Prinita Thevarajah, Architectural Digest, 31 Oct. 2024

Patole mops it up with a traditional flatbread made of millets that his mother freshly prepared on a griddle. —Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English milet, from Middle French, from Old French, diminutive of mil, from Latin milium; akin to Greek melinē millet

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing millet

• foxtail millet
• Japanese millet
• pearl millet

Rhymes for millet

• billet
• skillet
• willet
• acrylate
• carboxylate
• methacrylate

Kids Definition

millet

noun

mil·​let ˈmil-ət 

1

: a grass cultivated for its small shiny whitish seeds used as human and bird food and sometimes grown for hay

2

: the seed of a millet

Biographical Definition

Millet

biographical name

Mil·​let mē-ˈyā 

mi-ˈlā

Jean-François 1814–1875 French painter