From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbarleybar‧ley /ˈbɑːli $ ˈbɑːrli/ noun [uncountable] HBPDFa plant that produces a grain used for making food or alcohol
Examples from the Corpus
barley• Add barley and simmer for another 30 minutes.• Other grains present are rye and barley malt, which also contribute flavour.• After a bit they sat up and watched the welcome breeze work like an animal through the silver-green barley.• Judy told me she was picking up a load of barley in East Grand Forks.• Good quality barley is making £151 a tonne so, not unnaturally, both farmers and merchants are rubbing their hands.• Remove barley mixture from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.• It is made by taking barley berries and soaking them in water.• You know, the skin rubbed off with carrying the barley.Origin barley (1100-1200) Old English bærlic “of barley”, from bære, bere “barley” 