grain
Grain (noun) means the edible seeds of cereal crops such as wheat, corn, rice, or barley, or the crops that produce them. Example: “Farmers hauled in the year's grain harvest before the storm hit.”
How to Use Grain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA seed of a cereal crop, a tiny particle of something, or the texture pattern in wood and similar materials.
"Against the grain" is a common idiom meaning to go against the natural or expected direction of something.
Word Forms
grained past tense, grains plural, grains plural, grains singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Farmers hauled in the year's _____ harvest before the storm hit.
Etymology
From Old French grain, from Latin granum ("seed"), the same root behind "corn" and "granule."
Related Words
Rhymes for grain
See all rhymes for grain →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “grain” mean?
The word “grain” means the edible seeds of cereal crops such as wheat, corn, rice, or barley, or the crops that produce them. In plain terms, a seed of a cereal crop, a tiny particle of something, or the texture pattern in wood and similar materials.
How do you pronounce “grain”?
“Grain” is pronounced grayn (/ɡɹeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “grain” in a sentence?
Here is “grain” used in a sentence: “Farmers hauled in the year's grain harvest before the storm hit.”
What part of speech is “grain”?
“Grain” is a noun.
Where does the word “grain” come from?
The word “grain” comes from Latin. From Old French grain, from Latin granum ("seed"), the same root behind "corn" and "granule.".
Is “grain” a common word?
“Grain” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “grain” have?
“Grain” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the edible seeds of cereal crops such as wheat, corn, rice, or barley, or the crops that produce them.
What is the difference between "grain" and "grains"?
"Grain" as a mass noun refers to cereal crops or their seeds collectively, as in "a field of grain," while "grains" as a count noun refers to individual particles or separate types, as in "grains of sand" or "whole grains." The uncountable use covers the harvest in general; the countable use singles out discrete units.
What is the difference between "grain" and "cereal"?
"Grain" refers to the edible seeds themselves, such as wheat, rice, or barley, while "cereal" refers to the crop plants that produce those seeds or to a breakfast food made from them. The grains from these plants are cereals, but the two words are not always interchangeable.