rice

1 of 3

noun

ˈrīs How to pronounce rice (audio)
: the starchy seeds of an annual southeast Asian cereal grass (Oryza sativa) that are cooked and used for food
also : this cereal grass that is widely cultivated in warm climates for its seeds and by-products compare wild rice

Illustration of rice

Illustration of rice

rice

2 of 3

verb

riced; ricing; rices

transitive verb

: to finely chop or process (a food) so that it resembles rice
riced cauliflower
Grilled calamari is served over riced potatoes that melt in the mouth—Mitch Frank
Ricing the spuds with the butter and cream, rather than mashing them, makes them light and airy, and gives you a completely different experience.—Yotam Ottolenghi

RICE

3 of 3

abbreviation

rest, ice, compression, elevation

Examples of rice in a Sentence

Noun Rice is the main crop of the country.
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
Never stick them upright in a bowl of rice, as this symbolizes an offering to the dead. — Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026 Rats are burrowing into aid parcels, forcing people to throw away scarce rice or flour supplies. — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Verb
Not only can cauliflower be riced, steaked, winged, and of course roasted, steamed, and souped, this cauliflower recipe is evidence that it can be wrapped in a taco too. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024 Like the grocer's popular Hearts of Palm Pasta, this rice alternative is made with just hearts of palm that's been riced, of course. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for rice

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English rys, from Anglo-French ris, from Old Italian riso, from Greek oryza, oryzon, of Iranian origin; akin to Pashto wriže rice; akin to Sanskrit vrīhi rice

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rice was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing rice

Rhymes for rice

See All Rhymes for rice

Browse Nearby Words

Ricciocarpus
rice
RICE
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rice. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rice

noun
ˈrīs How to pronounce rice (audio)
1
: a southeast Asian grass widely grown in warm wet areas especially for its seeds which are used for food
2
: the seeds of rice

Medical Definition

RICE

abbreviation
rest, ice, compression, elevation
—used especially for the initial treatment of many usually minor sports-related injuries (as sprains)

Biographical Definition

Rice 1 of 2

biographical name (1)

ˈrīs How to pronounce Rice (audio)
Condoleezza 1954–     U.S. Secretary of State (2005–09)

Rice

2 of 2

biographical name (2)

Elmer Leopold 1892–1967 originally Elmer Reizenstein American dramatist

More from Merriam-Webster on rice

Nglish: Translation of rice for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rice

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