barley

1
[ bahr-lee ]
/ ˈbɑr li /

noun

a widely distributed cereal plant belonging to the genus Hordeum, of the grass family, having awned flowers that grow in tightly bunched spikes, with three small additional spikes at each node.
the grain of this plant, used as food and in making beer, ale, and whiskey.

Origin of barley

1
before 1000; Middle English; Old English bærlīc (adj.), equivalent to bær- (variant of bere barley; akin to Old Norse barr barley, Gothic barizeins made of barley, Serbo-Croatian brȁšno flour, Latin far emmer; all < European Indo-European *bHaer- spike, prickle, perhaps akin to beard) + -līc -ly

Definition for barley (2 of 2)

barley 2
[ bahr-lee ]
/ ˈbɑr li /

noun, plural bar·leys. Scot. and North England.

a truce or quarter, especially in children's games; parley.

Origin of barley

2
1805–15; probably to be identified with Scots barley, burley, birlie local customary law (Compare birleyman arbiter, birleycourt neighborhood court), variant of birlaw, Medieval Latin birlawe, birelegia, birelag < Old Norse *býjarlagu, equivalent to býjar, genitive singular of býr town (cf. bower1, byre) + *lagu law1; compare bylaw

Example sentences from the Web for barley

British Dictionary definitions for barley (1 of 2)

barley 1
/ (ˈbɑːlɪ) /

noun

any of various erect annual temperate grasses of the genus Hordeum, esp H. vulgare, that have short leaves and dense bristly flower spikes and are widely cultivated for grain and forage
the grain of any of these grasses, used in making beer and whisky and for soups, puddings, etc See also pearl barley

Word Origin for barley

Old English bærlīc (adj); related to bere barley, Old Norse barr barley, Gothic barizeins of barley, Latin farīna flour

British Dictionary definitions for barley (2 of 2)

barley 2
/ (ˈbɑːlɪ) /

sentence substitute

dialect a cry for truce or respite from the rules of a game

Word Origin for barley

C18: probably changed from parley