often attributive
1
: a cereal grain that yields a fine white flour used chiefly in breads, baked goods (such as cakes and crackers), and pastas (such as macaroni or spaghetti), and is important in animal feeds
2
: any of various Old World annual grasses (genus Triticum, especially T. aestivum and T. turgidum) of wide climatic adaptability that are cultivated in most temperate areas for the wheat they yield
3
: a light yellow

Examples of wheat in a Sentence

a turkey sandwich on wheat
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.
Shapiro says that high-phytate foods such as wheat bran, unsoaked grains, and legumes can block iron absorption. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026 Around the middle of the century, agronomists also developed high-yield, fast-growing varieties of staple crops like wheat and rice in what is known as the Green Revolution. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026 Almonds ground into a flour are an option for cooking and baking, especially if avoiding wheat or gluten. — Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2026 Across the street is an empty lot where the grass has grown tall enough to look like a field of wheat blowing in the wind. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wheat

Word History

Etymology

Middle English whete, going back to Old English hwǣte, going back to Germanic *hwaitja- (whence also Old Frisian wēt "wheat," Old Saxon hwēti, Middle Dutch weit, weite, Old High German hweizi, weizi, Old Icelandic hveiti, Gothic ƕaiteis "cereal grain"), collective derivative from the stem of *hwīta- white entry 1; probably so called from the light color of the ripe ears or the flour made from it

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Cite this Entry

“Wheat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wheat. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a cereal grain that can be made into a fine white flour used mostly in breads, baked goods (as cakes and crackers), and pastas (as macaroni or spaghetti) and that is used in animal feeds
2
: any of a genus of grasses grown in most temperate areas for the wheat they produce
especially : a grass with long dense flower spikes and white to dark red grains that is the chief source of wheat and is known only in cultivation

More from Merriam-Webster on wheat

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster