cereal

UK: /ˈsɪəriəl/ US: /ˈsɪriəl/ ,(sēr′ē əl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ce•re•al /ˈsɪriəl/   n. 

1. Plant Biology a plant of the grass family, such as wheat, that gives grain that can be eaten:
   [countable] wild cereals growing on the plains.
2. Plant Biology the grain itself:
   [uncountable] harvesting the cereal.
3. some preparation of this grain that can be eaten, esp. a breakfast food:
   [uncountable] has two bowls of cereal every morning.
   [countable] cereals with too much sugar in them.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ce•re•al  (sēr′ē əl), n. 

1. Plant Biology any plant of the grass family yielding an edible grain, as wheat, rye, oats, rice, or corn.
2. Plant Biology the grain itself.
3. some edible preparation of it, esp. a breakfast food.

adj. 

4. Plant Biology of or pertaining to grain or the plants producing it.

• Latin Cereālis of, pertaining to Ceres; see -al¹
• 1590–1600

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cereal / ˈsɪərɪəl/ noun

1. any grass that produces an edible grain, such as oat, rye, wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, and millet
2. the grain produced by such a plant
3. any food made from this grain, esp breakfast food
4. (modifier) of or relating to any of these plants or their products

Etymology: 19th Century: from Latin cereālis concerning agriculture, of Ceres¹