mummy wheat
Preserved but no longer current.
Wheat said to have been taken from ancient Egyptian tombs, which, when sown, fructifies. No seed, however, will preserve its vitality for centuries, and what is called mummy wheat is a species of corn commonly grown on the southern shores of the Mediterranean.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “mummy wheat” mean?
Wheat said to have been taken from ancient Egyptian tombs, which, when sown, fructifies. No seed, however, will preserve its vitality for centuries, and what is called mummy wheat is a species of corn commonly grown on the southern shores of the Mediterranean.
Is “mummy wheat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.