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Definition of wild rye

wild rye

Plural:wild ryes
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wild rye Lexical Profile

• noun

1

Any of various tall, perennial grasses of the genus Elymus, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and commonly found in prairies and woodlands, often utilized for livestock forage or soil erosion control.

Example

"The ecological restoration project involved planting native wild rye to help stabilize the loose soil along the eroded riverbank."

Word Origin & Etymology

A descriptive compound phrase combining 'wild' (from Old English 'wilde') and 'rye' (from Old English 'ryge'), denoting its uncultivated nature compared to the closely related domesticated cereal crop.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wild rye. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wild rye
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