corn

1 of 3

noun (1)

often attributive
1
chiefly dialectal : a small hard particle : grain
2
: a small hard seed
usually used in combination
peppercorn
barleycorn
3
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
4
a
: 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

b
: the typically yellow or whitish seeds of corn used especially as food for humans and livestock
c
: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering
5
6
a
: something (such as writing, music, or acting) that is corny
b
: the quality or state of being corny : corniness
7

corn

2 of 3

verb

corned; corning; corns

transitive verb

1
: to form into grains : granulate
2
a
: to preserve or season with salt in grains
b
: to cure or preserve in brine containing preservatives and often seasonings
corned beef
3
: 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

Noun (1) a story about a lost puppy that was pure corn
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Ingrown nails will be trimmed; calluses, corns, and loose skin will be removed; cracked heels or other problem areas will be soothed. Zoe Ruffner, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024 In the Alpine region, home cooks boil up pots of buckwheat and corn zganci (mush) with sides of yogurt, cabbage and fried eggs. Ellen Ruppel Shell, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
Surely not the band members themselves, all of whom have toiled in obscurity for years in the Bay Area music scene, beating their heads against all the familiar struggling-musician walls (apathy, poverty, jealousy) before corning together less than two years ago to form Counting Crows. Jim Greer, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2024 What is corned beef?How this recipe became a favorite for St. Patrick's Day When is St. Patrick's Day? Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for corn 

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

Dictionary Entries Near corn

Cite this Entry

“Corn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corn. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

corn

1 of 3 noun
1
: a tall American cereal grass plant widely grown for its large ears of starchy grain which come in many varieties
2
: the seeds of a corn plant that are used especially as food for humans and livestock and are typically yellow or whitish
3
: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering
spent the afternoon picking corn
4
: 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
: a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe)

More from Merriam-Webster on corn

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