corn

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈkȯrn

often attributive

Synonyms of corn next

chiefly dialectal : a small hard particle : grain

: a small hard seed

—usually used in combination

peppercorn

barleycorn

British : the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (such as wheat in Britain and oats in Scotland and Ireland)

also : a plant that produces corn

: a tall annual cereal grass (Zea mays) originally domesticated in Mexico and widely grown for its large elongated ears of starchy seeds

called also Indian corn, maize

: the typically yellow or whitish seeds of corn used especially as food for humans and livestock

: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering

: corn whiskey

: something (such as writing, music, or acting) that is corny

: the quality or state of being corny : corniness

: corn snow

corn

2 of 3

verb

corned; corning; corns

transitive verb

: to form into grains : granulate

: to preserve or season with salt in grains

: to cure or preserve in brine containing preservatives and often seasonings

corned beef

: to feed with corn

corn

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe)

Examples of corn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

It’s found in eggs, oranges, grapes, corn, goji berries, mangoes, and orange peppers. —

Byerin Prater, Fortune Well, 24 Nov. 2023 The next day, on Nov. 26 in Covington, fans can donate non-perishable foods, specifically green beans and corn. —

Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023 Stir in the kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, chile powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, and 4 cups of water. —

Lois Ellen Frank and Walter Whitewater, Saveur, 22 Nov. 2023 The peanut crop failed, the cotton and corn crops burned up, and their income that first year was less than $200. —

Kevin Sullivan, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023 By the 20th century, steel roller mills changed the quality of corn meal, and chemical leaveners sweeteners, and other flours were added to create the spongy cornbread seen on tables today, according to The Stanford Daily. —

Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2023 Add orange shredded cheddar cheese, yellow mini corn muffins, red diced tomatoes, and deep green jalapeños. —

Sharon Greenthal, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Nov. 2023 Miss Lucy’s teeth is grinning Just like an ear ob corn, And her eyes dey look so winning! —

Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023 Process corn in a food processor until coarsely chopped. —

Emily Nabors Hall, Southern Living, 11 Nov. 2023

Verb

Inside, Crusius continued firing with an AK-47-style rifle, corning shoppers at a bank near the entrance where nine were killed, before shooting at the checkout area and people in aisles. —

Time, 5 July 2023 But corn itself — whether from the cob, a can or in dog food — can be a healthy part of a dog's diet. —

Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 22 May 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, going back to Old English, "grain of a cereal grass, seed, berry," going back to Germanic *kurno- (whence also Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Old High German & Old Norse korn "grain of a cereal grass, seed," Gothic kaurn), going back to European Indo-European *ǵr̥H-no-, whence also Latin grānum "seed, especially of a cereal grass," Old Irish grán, Welsh grawn, Old Church Slavic zrĭno "grain, seed," Serbian & Croatian zȑno, Russian zernó, Lithuanian žìrnis "pea"

Note: The noun *ǵr̥H-no is sometimes taken to be a zero-grade derivative of Indo-European *ǵerh₂- "become old, ripen" (see geriatric entry 1), but this has been disputed.

Verb

derivative of corn entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English corne, probably borrowed from Medieval Latin cornū "horn, horny excrescence," going back to Latin, "horn" — more at horn

Note: Late Old English corn in this sense, attested in the medical text Lacnunga, a collection of remedies, charms and prayers, may be from Latin or an extended sense of Old English corn corn entry 1.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of corn was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Corn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corn. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

corn

1 of 3 noun

ˈkȯ(ə)rn

: a tall American cereal grass plant widely grown for its large ears of starchy grain which come in many varieties

: the seeds of a corn plant that are used especially as food for humans and livestock and are typically yellow or whitish

: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering

spent the afternoon picking corn

: corny actions or speech

corn

2 of 3 verb

: to preserve by packing with salt or by soaking in salty water

corned beef

corn

3 of 3 noun

: a local hardening and thickening of skin (as on a toe)

Etymology

Noun

Old English corn "seeds of a cereal plant"

Noun

Middle English corne "thickening of the skin," from early French corne "horn," from Latin cornu "horn, point" — related to unicorn

Medical Definition

corn

noun

ˈkȯ(ə)rn

: a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe)

Last Updated: 29 Nov 2023 - Updated example sentences

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

tincture

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

corn

noun (1)

verb

noun (2)

Synonyms

Examples of corn in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near corn

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition