Word Study
cereal
CIDE DICTIONARY
cereal, a. [L. Cerealis pert. to Ceres, and hence, to agriculture. See Ceres.].
Of or pertaining to the grasses which are cultivated for their edible seeds (as wheat, maize, rice, etc.), or to their seeds or grain. [1913 Webster]
cereal, n.
Any grass cultivated for its edible grain, or the grain itself; -- usually in the plural. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
cereal, n. & adj
--n.
1 (usu. in pl.) a any kind of grain used for food. b any grass producing this, e.g. wheat, maize, rye, etc.
2 a breakfast food made from a cereal and requiring no cooking.
--adj. of edible grain or products of it.
--n.
1 (usu. in pl.) a any kind of grain used for food. b any grass producing this, e.g. wheat, maize, rye, etc.
2 a breakfast food made from a cereal and requiring no cooking.
--adj. of edible grain or products of it.
Etymology
L cerealis f. Ceres goddess of agriculture
THESAURUS
cereal
aftergrass, bamboo, botanic, breakfast food, bulbous, cane, cereal plant, corn, cornflakes, dry cereal, farina, farinaceous, farinaceous plant, fog, forage grass, fruitlike, fruity, frumenty, grain, graminaceous plant, grass, grits, gruel, hasty pudding, herbaceous, herbal, herbose, herbous, herby, hominy grits, hot cereal, kasha, lawn grass, leguminose, leguminous, loblolly, millet, mush, oatmeal, ornamental grass, plantlike, porridge, puffed rice, puffed wheat, radicated, radiciform, radicular, reed, rhizoid, rolled oats, rootlike, tuberous, vegetable, vegetal, vegetarian, vegetational, vegetative, weedy, wheatflakesROGET THESAURUS
cereal
Food
N food, eating, deglutition, gulp, epulation, mastication, manducation, rumination, gluttony, hippophagy, ichthyophagy, (appetite), mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard, gob, chops, drinking, potation, draught, libation, carousal, drunkenness, food, pabulum, aliment, nourishment, nutriment, sustenance, sustentation, sustention, nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board, commissariat, prey, forage, pasture, pasturage, fare, cheer, diet, dietary, regimen, belly timber, staff of life, bread, bread and cheese, comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta, grub, grubstake, prog, meat, bread, bread stuffs, cerealia, cereals, viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots, festal board, ambrosia, good cheer, good living, beef, bisquit, bun, cornstarch, cookie, cooky, cracker, doughnut, fatling, hardtack, hoecake, hominy, mutton, pilot bread, pork, roti, rusk, ship biscuit, veal, joint, piece de resistance, roast and boiled, remove, entremet, releve, hash, rechauffe, stew, ragout, fricassee, mince, pottage, potage, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat, pie, pasty, volauvent, pudding, omelet, pastry, sweets, kickshaws, condiment, appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, main course, entree, alligator pear, apple, apple slump, artichoke, ashcake, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack, atole, avocado, banana, beche de mer, barbecue, beefsteak, beet root, blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey, chowder, chupatty, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash, supawn, trepang, vanilla, waffle, walnut, table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote, ordinary, entree, meal, repast, feed, spread, mess, dish, plate, course, regale, regalement, refreshment, entertainment, refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket, breakfast, lunch, luncheon, dejeuner, bever, tiffin, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert, potluck, table d'hote, dejeuner a la fourchette, hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal, blowout, light refreshment, bara, chotahazri, bara khana, mouthful, bolus, gobbet, morsel, sop, sippet, drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup, potion, dram, draught, drench, swill, nip, sip, sup, gulp, wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo, heavy wet, grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus, cup, bishop, wassail, gin, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates, bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer, Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep, near beer, 2 beer, non- alcoholic beverage, eating house, diner, hippophage, glutton, eatable, edible, esculent, comestible, alimentary, cereal, cibarious, dietetic, culinary, nutritive, nutritious, gastric, succulent, potable, potulent, bibulous, omnivorous, carnivorous, herbivorous, granivorous, graminivorous, phytivorous, ichthyivorous, omophagic, omophagous, pantophagous, phytophagous, xylophagous, across the walnuts and the wine, blessed hour of our dinners!, now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both!, who can cloy the hungry edge of appetite?.For further exploring for "cereal" in Webster Dictionary Online