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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Ray grass \Ray" grass`\, [Etymol. of ray is uncertain.]

(Bot.) A perennial European grass (Lolium perenne); -- called also rye grass, and red darnel. See Darnel, and Grass.

Italian ray, or rye, grass. See Darnel, and Grass.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)