rice
UK[raɪs]US[raɪs]
n
the small white or brown grains from a southeast Asian plant, used as food
n
the plant that produces these grains, grown in warm wet ground
Etymology
The journey of the word 'rice' traces a path of cultural exchange and trade. It entered the European lexicon via Ancient Greek, which borrowed the term from an Iranian language, likely reflecting early trade routes. The Latin 'oryza' and subsequent Romance language forms (like Old French 'ris') carried the term westward. The modern English spelling 'rice' solidified in the Middle English period, directly reflecting the pronunciation of its Old French predecessor. Thus, the word's history maps the spread of the grain itself from Asia to the rest of the world.
Analysis
The word 'rice' is a simplex loanword. It entered English from Old French 'ris', which came from Italian 'riso', ultimately from Latin 'oryza', which was borrowed from Greek 'óryza'. The Greek term is believed to have origins in an Iranian source, and is perhaps ultimately derived from a Dravidian language of South Asia, such as Tamil 'arici'.
Examples
We had chicken and fried rice for dinner.
The fields were flooded to grow rice.
Brown rice is considered a whole grain.