buckwheat Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a member of the genus Fagopyrum; annual Asian plant with clusters of small pinkish white flowers and small edible triangular seeds which are used whole or ground into flour
    Fagopyrum esculentum; Polygonum fagopyrum.
  2. noun grain ground into flour

WordNet

Buck"wheat` noun
Etymology
Buck a beech tree + wheat; akin to D. boekweit, G. buchweizen.
Definitions
  1. (Bot.) A plant (Fagopyrum esculentum) of the Polygonum family, the seed of which is used for food.
  2. The triangular seed used, when ground, for griddle cakes, etc.

Webster 1913