# cereal

/ˈsɪɹiəɫ/ (US) · /sˈiəɹɪəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cereal
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. breakfast food

noun · CEFR A1

a food made from grain that you usually eat with milk in the morning.

For teachers: a processed breakfast food made from roasted or toasted grain, typically served with milk.

- I usually have a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice for breakfast.
- The supermarket aisle was packed with dozens of different cereals, most of them marketed heavily toward children with bright packaging and high sugar content.

Usage: Usually uncountable when referring to the food in general, but countable when referring to specific brands or types.

### 2. grain plants

noun · CEFR B2

plants like wheat, rice, or corn that are grown for their seeds.

For teachers: any grass cultivated for its edible grain, such as wheat, oats, or maize.

- The farmer grows different cereals like barley and wheat on his land.
- Global food security depends heavily on the stable production of major cereals, which provide the primary caloric intake for much of the world's population.

Usage: Often used in plural form when discussing agricultural production.

### 3. relating to grain

adjective · CEFR B2 · Academic

related to or made from grain.

For teachers: pertaining to or consisting of grain or the plants that produce it.

- The factory produces various cereal products for the local market.
- The research paper examined the impact of climate change on cereal yields across the sub-Saharan region.

Usage: Usually placed before a noun.

## Examples

- I usually eat a bowl of cereal before I go to work.
- The supermarket aisle is filled with dozens of different types of breakfast cereal, from sugary flakes to healthy bran.
- While many people associate the term with processed breakfast foods, cereals remain the primary source of caloric intake for the global population through crops like rice and wheat.

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