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noun Uncommon

oatmeal

OHT-meel

Oatmeal (noun) means Ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them. Example: “She had a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.”

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noun
1
Ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them.
"She had a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast."
adj
1
A pale greyish-brown colour, like cooked oats.
"He wore an oatmeal-coloured sweater."

How to use oatmeal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCooked oats eaten as a warm breakfast, or a soft beige colour.

UK vs US

In the US, "oatmeal" usually refers to the cooked breakfast dish itself, while in the UK the same dish is more often called "porridge".

Common pairings
bowl of oatmeal oatmeal cookie
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Word forms

oatmeals plural

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Fill the gap

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She had a warm bowl of _____ for breakfast.

Etymology

From Middle English otemele, combining ote ("oat") and mele ("meal, ground grain").

Origin: Middle English

burgoo rolled oats

Related words

Rhymes for oatmeal

See all rhymes for oatmeal →

Frequently asked questions

What does “oatmeal” mean?

The word “oatmeal” means ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them. In plain terms, cooked oats eaten as a warm breakfast, or a soft beige colour.

How do you pronounce “oatmeal”?

“Oatmeal” is pronounced OHT-meel (/ˈoʊtmil/ in IPA).

How do you use “oatmeal” in a sentence?

Here is “oatmeal” used in a sentence: “She had a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.”

What part of speech is “oatmeal”?

Depending on how it is used, “oatmeal” can be a noun and an adjective.

Where does the word “oatmeal” come from?

The word “oatmeal” comes from Middle English. From Middle English otemele, combining ote ("oat") and mele ("meal, ground grain").

Is “oatmeal” a common word?

“Oatmeal” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “oatmeal” have?

“Oatmeal” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: ground or rolled oats, or the porridge made by cooking them.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial