barleycorn

Definition

A grain of barley.

Etymology

From barley + corn.

Example Sentences

• "The Town Mouse came, and they sat down to a dinner of barleycorns and roots, the latter of which had a distinctly earthy flavour."
• "This trip to Italy has actually enlarged the diameter of my head thirteen barleycorns!"
• "Then shewed the devil the booke unto the friar, and the friar saw it was an uncut unique of incalculable value; the height of it was half a cubit and the breadth of it the fourth part of a cubit and the thickness of it five barleycorns lacking the space of three horsehairs."