Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Rye \Rye\, n. [OE. rie, reie, AS. ryge; akin to Icel. rugr, Sw.
   r[*a]g, Dan. rug, D. rogge, OHG. rocco, roggo, G. rocken,
   roggen, Lith. rugei, Russ. roje, and perh. to Gr. 'o`ryza
   rice. Cf. {Rice}.]
   1. (Bot.) A grain yielded by a hardy cereal grass ({Secale
      cereale}), closely allied to wheat; also, the plant
      itself. Rye constitutes a large portion of the breadstuff
      used by man.

   2. A disease in a hawk. --Ainsworth.

   {Rye grass}, {Italian rye grass}, (Bot.) See under {Grass}.
      See also {Ray grass}, and {Darnel}.

   {Wild rye} (Bot.), any plant of the genus {Elymus}, tall
      grasses with much the appearance of rye.

Bunch grass, grazing. Far West. {Eriocoma}, {Festuca}, {Stips},
etc. Chess, or Cheat, a weed. {Bromus secalinus}, etc. Couch
grass. Same as {Quick grass} (below). Crab grass,
      (a) Hay, in South. A weed, in North. {Panicum sanguinale}.
      (b) Pasture and hay. South. {Eleusine Indica}. Darnel
      (a) Bearded, a noxious weed. {Lolium temulentum}.
      (b) Common. Same as {Rye grass} (below). Drop seed, fair
          for forage and hay. {Muhlenbergia}, several species.
          English grass. Same as Redtop (below). Fowl meadow
          grass.
      (a) Pasture and hay. {Poa serotina}.
      (b) Hay, on moist land. {Gryceria nervata}. Gama grass,
          cut fodder. South. {Tripsacum dactyloides}.

Source : WordNet®

rye grass
     n : any of several annual or perennial Eurasian grasses [syn: {ryegrass}]