1. Annual grass of Europe and North Africa; grains used as food and fodder (referred to primarily in the plural: 'oats')
   "Farmers planted oats as a cover crop to improve soil health"
    
2. Seed of the annual grass Avena sativa (spoken of primarily in the plural as 'oats')
   "We sprinkled toasted oats on top of our yogurt"

Derived forms: oats

Type of: cereal, cereal grass, food grain, grain

Part of: Avena, Avena sativa, cereal oat, genus Avena

Encyclopedia: Oat