Groats and Grits

groats and grits are terms which come from the same root and are almost synonymous. The former is more used in Britain and usually refers to oats which have been husked (hulled), and crushed rather than ground; while the latter is used in N. America, especially the southern states, where hominy grits (see also maize) are important.

Groats are not necessarily of oats and grits need not be of corn (maize), but if other grains are meant these have to be specified (as in barley groats). Grits used alone would normally be taken to mean hominy grits (and hominy used by itself would usually refer to a more coarsely ground product than grits).