Definition

Noun (plural) 1. Hulled and crushed cereal grains: Groats are the whole, hulled kernels of various cereal grains, such as oats, wheat, barley, or buckwheat, which have been cleaned and may be further processed by cutting, rolling, or crushing. They are less processed than flour but more processed than the whole grain in its husk.

Usage Examples

• As a food ingredient:
  • Oat groats are a nutritious whole grain that takes longer to cook than rolled oats.
  • The recipe calls for buckwheat groats to make a traditional porridge.
• Describing a form of grain:
  • After hulling, the wheat berries become wheat groats.
  • Groats retain more fiber and nutrients than refined grains.

Advanced Usage

• "Steel-cut groats": Refers to groats (typically oat groats) that have been chopped into smaller pieces with steel blades, resulting in a chewy texture.
  • Steel-cut oat groats make a hearty breakfast.
• In historical or specialized milling contexts, "groats" can specifically refer to hulled grain kernels that have been separated from the husks and any remaining chaff.

Variants and Related Words

• Groat (noun, singular): While less common, this can refer to a single hulled kernel or be used in the same plural sense. It is also the name of an old English coin.
• Groatsmeal (noun): A coarse meal or flour made from ground groats.

Synonyms

• Hulled grain
• Kernel (when referring to the edible part after hulling)
• Berry (as in "wheat berry" or "oat berry," synonymous with the whole groat)

Notes on Meaning

• The term "groats" is most frequently associated with oats (oat groats), but it correctly applies to other cereals.
• It is important to distinguish groats from similar products:
  • Groats vs. Whole Grains: Groats are a type of whole grain, specifically one that has had the inedible outer hull removed.
  • Groats vs. Meal/Flour: Groats are intact or crushed kernels, not finely ground into powder.
  • Groats vs. Rolled Oats: Rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) are oat groats that have been steamed and flattened with rollers.

Noun

1. the hulled and crushed grain of various cereals