wild rice
wild rice Lexical Profile
• noun
The edible, dark-colored grain of certain aquatic grasses native to North America and China, known for its chewy texture and nutty flavor.
"She prepared a side dish of wild rice and roasted vegetables to accompany the baked chicken."
North American Any of several species of tall aquatic grasses in the genus Zizania, found growing naturally in the shallow lakes and slow-flowing streams of North America.
"The Indigenous communities of the Great Lakes region have traditionally harvested wild rice from canoes during the late summer."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite its name, wild rice is not a direct relative of common cultivated rice (genus Oryza); rather, it belongs to an entirely different genus of aquatic grasses.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in English by early European explorers in North America who named the native aquatic plant for its visual and culinary resemblance to cultivated Asian rice.