barley

/ˈbɑɹli/

UK: /ˈbɑːli/

barley

English Noun Top 16,810

Definition

A cereal of the species Hordeum vulgare, or its grains, often used as food or to make beer and other malted drinks.

Etymology

From Middle English barly, barli, from Old English bærlīċ (“barley-like”, adjective) (later referring to barley itself and grain crops of similar appearance), from bere (“barley”) (compare Scots bere (“six-rowed barley”)), from Proto-Germanic *baraz (compare Old Norse barr), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰers- (“spike, prickle”). Equivalent to bere + -ly. See English brew.