finger millet
Definition
Noun: 1. A cereal grass (Eleusine coracana) native to East India and Africa: A hardy annual plant cultivated for its small, reddish-brown seeds, which are a staple food grain in parts of Asia and Africa. The seed heads have a characteristic appearance with several short, finger-like spikes.
Usage
- As a countable noun (often uncountable in the context of the grain): Refers to the plant species or the grain it produces.
- Farmers in the region are planting finger millet this season.
- The flour is made from ground finger millet.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- Scientific/Agricultural Context: The term is used precisely to distinguish this species () from other millets like pearl millet or foxtail millet.
- The study focused on the nutritional profile of finger millet compared to other staple cereals.
Variants and Related Words
- Ragi: A common name for finger millet, especially in India.
- African millet: Another name used in some regions.
- Kodo millet: A different but related millet species (); not a synonym but sometimes confused.
Synonyms
- Ragi (regional synonym, common in South Asia)
- Eleusine coracana (scientific/botanical name)
Notes on Different Meanings
The term "finger millet" has a single, specific meaning referring to the plant and its grain. It does not have idiomatic or metaphorical uses. The name derives from the distinctive shape of its seed head, which resembles several fingers.
Noun
-
East Indian cereal grass whose seed yield a somewhat bitter flour, a staple in the Orient
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