Word
oats
US/ˈoʊts/
UK/ˈəʊts/
Definitions
01food grain
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun Cooking
n. the seeds of a cereal plant used to make porridge, granola, or flour.
n. the edible seeds of the oat plant, typically rolled or ground for use in human food or animal feed.
“I usually have a bowl of oats with milk and fruit for breakfast.”
“The baker substituted a portion of the wheat flour with ground oats to give the bread a denser texture and a nuttier flavour.”
Usage
Usually plural when referring to the food product; the singular 'oat' is rare except as a modifier.
02the plant
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Science
n. the tall grass-like plant that produces these seeds.
n. the cereal grass (Avena sativa) cultivated for its grain.
“The farmer planted oats in the north field this spring.”
“The research team studied how different varieties of oats responded to the unusually dry conditions in the highland regions.”
Synonyms
03sexual activity
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Slang · Informal
n. a slang way to talk about having sex, usually in the phrase 'sow one's wild oats'.
n. a slang reference to sexual gratification or activity, most commonly encountered in the idiom 'to sow one's wild oats'.
“He spent his twenties traveling and sowing his wild oats before settling down.”
“The biography suggests that the poet spent his youth sowing his wild oats across Europe before returning to a more conventional life in London.”
Teaching tip
Almost exclusively used within the idiom 'sow one's wild oats', which refers to a young person having many casual sexual relationships before getting married.
Synonyms
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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