Standard Lemma guide

draff

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɹæf/
  • /dɹɑːf/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æf
  • rhymes with -ɑːf

1

noun

Meaning 1

A byproduct from a brewery, a distillery, or both, often fed to pigs or cattle as part of their ration; often synonymous with distillers' grains, brewers' spent grains, or both (when not differentiated); usually differentiated from potale, at least in technical use, although broad, nontechnical use has often lumped all such byproducts together, especially in the past.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: brewers' spent grains, BSG, distillers' grains

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dregs, hogwash, brewers' spent grains, BSG, distillers' grains

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English draf, likely from an unrecorded Old English *dræf, from Proto-Germanic *drabaz.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: помия (pomija) — dregs; the wash given to swine or cows
  • Old Czech: sveřěp — dregs; the wash given to swine or cows
  • French: drêche — dregs; the wash given to swine or cows
  • Swedish: drank — dregs; the wash given to swine or cows