Barley Meaning
/ˈbɑɹli/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA cereal of the species Hordeum vulgare, or its grains, often used as food or to make beer and other malted drinks.
nounThe seed of Job's tears. (Coix lacryma-jobi)
Sentence Examples
Can you tell wheat from barley?
Having run the race, Jane had two glasses of barley tea.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Farmers harvested the golden ____ from the fields to make beer and animal feed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The farmers are harvesting the ____ field before the heavy autumn rains.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English barly, barli, from Old English bærlīċ (“barley-like”, adjective) (later referring to barley itself and grain crops of similar appearance), from bere (“barley”) (compare Scots bere (“six-rowed barley”)), from Proto-Germanic *baraz (compare Old Norse barr), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰers- (“spike, prickle”). Equivalent to bere + -ly. See English brew.
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Farmers harvested the golden ____ from the fields to make beer and animal feed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The farmers are harvesting the ____ field before the heavy autumn rains.