Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Rice
Rice
,Noun.
[F.
riz
(cf. Pr. ris
, It. riso
), L. oryza
, Gr. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK], [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK], probably from the Persian; cf. OPers. brīzi
, akin to Skr. vrīhi
; or perh. akin to E. rye
. Cf. Rye
.] (Bot.)
A well-known cereal grass (
Oryza sativa
) and its seed. This plant is extensively cultivated in warm climates, and the grain forms a large portion of the food of the inhabitants. In America it grows chiefly on low, moist land, which can be overflowed. Ant rice
. (Bot.)
See under
– Ant
. French rice
. (Bot.)
See
– Amelcorn
. Indian rice
., a tall reedlike water grass (
– Zizania aquatica
), bearing panicles of a long, slender grain, much used for food by North American Indians. It is common in shallow water in the Northern States. Called also water oat
, Canadian wild rice
, etc. Mountain rice
, any species of an American genus (
– Oryzopsis
) of grasses, somewhat resembling rice. Rice bunting
. (Zool.)
Same as
– Ricebird
. Rice hen
(Zool.)
, the Florida gallinule.
– Rice mouse
(Zool.)
, a large dark-colored field mouse (
– Calomys palistris
) of the Southern United States. Rice paper
, a kind of thin, delicate paper, brought from China, – used for painting upon, and for the manufacture of fancy articles. It is made by cutting the pith of a large herb (
– Fatsia papyrifera
, related to the ginseng) into one roll or sheet, which is flattened out under pressure. Called also pith paper
. Rice troupial
(Zool.)
, the bobolink.
– Rice water
, a drink for invalids made by boiling a small quantity of rice in water.
– Rice-water discharge
(Med.)
, a liquid, resembling rice water in appearance, which is vomited, and discharged from the bowels, in cholera.
– Rice weevil
(Zool.)
, a small beetle (
Calandra oryzae
, or Sitophilus oryzae
) which destroys rice, wheat, and Indian corn by eating out the interior; – called also black weevil
.