emmer

noun

em·​mer ˈe-mər How to pronounce emmer (audio)
: an ancient tetraploid wheat (Triticum dicoccum) that has spikelets with two hard red grains which remain in the glumes after threshing and that has been cultivated especially in southwest Asia, northeast Africa, and Europe
also : the grain of emmer

Note: The grain of emmer is also called farro.

Examples of emmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The researchers found that the leftovers contain barley and emmer grains, as well as seeds from a white goosefoot plant. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024 In Anatolia, Turkey, kavilca wheat, a type of emmer that’s been grown since Neolithic times, is not only more nutritious than today’s bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) but, thanks to its tightfitting husks, is also resistant to Fusarium head blight, a devious fungus that is threatening wheat crops. Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Enthusiasm has cropped up for wheats produced locally without chemicals, and ancient varieties, such as einkorn, spelt and emmer. WSJ, 15 May 2021 The people interested in whole grains and ancient grains overlap enough that in the U.S., most companies sell einkorn, emmer and spelt as whole grains, Dawson says. Leslie Nemo, Discover Magazine, 23 Apr. 2021 Kavilca and other ancient varieties of emmer may also have genetic resistance to wheat blast, a new disease that is decimating crops from Brazil to Bangladesh. Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2022 Farro is the overarching Italian name for three forms of ancient wheat: farro piccolo, or einkorn; farro medio, or emmer; and farro grande, or spelt. Casey Barber, CNN, 27 Oct. 2021 Meuer and his wife, Leslie, grow, harvest, stone-mill and sell a wide variety of flours including rye, spelt, soft red winter wheat, oat, durum, einkorn, emmer and corn for polenta. Jennifer Rude Klett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 17 Nov. 2020 People who have been diagnosed with celiac disease have to completely avoid gluten, found in wheat, rye and barley, as well as variations of wheat including spelt, emmer (farro), einkorn and Kamut. Carrie Dennett, Washington Post, 4 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emmer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

German, from Old High German amari

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of emmer was in 1881

Dictionary Entries Near emmer

Cite this Entry

“Emmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emmer. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

emmer

noun
em·​mer ˈem-ər How to pronounce emmer (audio)
: an ancient wheat having spikelets with two hard red kernels
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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