barley

1 of 2

noun (1)

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

barley coal

2 of 2

noun (2)

variants or less commonly barley
: anthracite coal of a small size : number 3 buckwheat coal

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.
Noun
One of the two nests spotted this year was found inside a patch of barley left as a habitat by a farmer, with the other nest located less than a mile away, according to the charity. — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 The latter type marks the first time that Bruichladdich has broken its own rule of using only Scottish barley in its mashbill. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026 The viral Chanel shoes are products of a popular barley-there shoe trend that has recently been taking over the runways, one that includes PVC and jelly shoes. — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 Feta is delicious crumbled over pasta and rice dishes, in barley salads, or with couscous, spelt, and quinoa. — Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barley

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English barly, from Old English bærlic of barley; akin to Old English bere barley, Latin far spelt

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Phrases Containing barley

Rhymes for barley

See All Rhymes for barley

Browse Nearby Words

Barletta
barley
barleybreak
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barley. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barley

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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