n.
Pronunciation: ' bär-l ē
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English barly, from Old English bærlic of barley; akin to Old English bere barley, Latin far spelt
Date: before 12th century
: a cereal grass (genus Hordeum and especially H. vulgare ) having the flowers in dense spikes with long awns and three spikelets at each joint of the rachis also : its seed used especially in malt beverages, breakfast foods, and stock feeds