einkorn
/ˈʌɪnkɔːn
/noun [mass noun]
An old kind of wheat with small bearded ears and spikelets that each contain one slender grain, used as fodder in prehistoric times but now rarely grown.
- Triticum monococcum, family Gramineae.
- Bread wheat was the accidental ‘unnatural’ crossing of einkorn and then emmer wheat with another species.
- Domesticates included herded sheep and goats together with hulled barley, and emmer and einkorn wheat.
Origin
Early 20th century: from German, from ein 'one' + Korn 'seed'.