buckwheat

[ buhk-hweet, -weet ]
/ ˈbʌkˌʰwit, -ˌwit /

noun

a plant, especially Fagopyrum esculentum, cultivated for its triangular seeds, which are used as a feed for animals or made into a flour for human consumption, as in pancakes or cereal. Compare buckwheat family.
the seeds of this plant.
Also buckwheat flour. flour made from seeds of buckwheat.

adjective

made with buckwheat flour: buckwheat pancakes.

Origin of buckwheat

1540–50; obsolete buck(Old English bōc beech) + wheat; compare Dutch boekweit, German Buchweizen; so called because its seeds resemble beechnuts

OTHER WORDS FROM buckwheat

buck·wheat·like, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for buckwheat

British Dictionary definitions for buckwheat

buckwheat
/ (ˈbʌkˌwiːt) /

noun

any of several polygonaceous plants of the genus Fagopyrum, esp F. esculentum, which has fragrant white flowers and is cultivated, esp in the US, for its seeds
the edible seeds of this plant, ground into flour or used as animal fodder
the flour obtained from these seeds

Word Origin for buckwheat

C16: from Middle Dutch boecweite, from boeke beech + weite wheat, from the resemblance of their seeds to beechnuts