corn

¹ American  

[kawrn] / kɔrn /

noun

1. especially technical and British, maize.  Also called Indian corn.  a tall cereal plant, Zea mays, cultivated in many varieties, having a jointed, solid stem and bearing the grain, seeds, or kernels on large ears.

2. the grain, seeds, or kernels of this plant, used for human food or for fodder.

3. the ears of this plant.

4. the edible seed of certain other cereal plants, especially wheat in England and oats in Scotland.

5. the plants themselves.

6. sweet corn.

7. corn whiskey.

8. Skiing.  corn snow.

9. Informal.  old-fashioned, trite, or mawkishly sentimental material, as a joke, a story, or music.

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verb (used with object)

1. to preserve and season with salt in grains.

2. to preserve and season with brine.

3. to granulate, as gunpowder.

4. to plant (land) with corn.

5. to feed with corn.

corn ² American  

[kawrn] / kɔrn /

noun

Pathology.

1. a horny induration or callosity of the epidermis, usually with a central core, formed especially on the toes or feet and caused by undue pressure or friction.

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-corn ³ American  

1. a combining form meaning “having a horn,” of the kind specified by the initial element.

   longicorn.

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Corn. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Cornish.

2. Cornwall.

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corn ¹ British  

/ kɔːn /

noun

1. 1. any of various cereal plants, esp the predominant crop of a region, such as wheat in England and oats in Scotland and Ireland

   2. the seeds of such plants, esp after harvesting

   3. a single seed of such plants; a grain

2. British equivalent: maize.  Also called: Indian corn. 

   1. a tall annual grass, Zea mays, cultivated for its yellow edible grains, which develop on a spike

   2. the grain of this plant, used for food, fodder, and as a source of oil See also sweet corn popcorn

3. 1. the plants producing these kinds of grain considered as a growing crop

      spring corn

   2. ( in combination )

      a cornfield

4. short for corn whisky

5. slang  an idea, song, etc, regarded as banal or sentimental

6. archaic  any hard particle or grain

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verb

1. to feed (animals) with corn, esp oats

2. 1. to preserve in brine

   2. to salt

3. to plant corn on

corn ² British  

/ kɔːn /

noun

1. a hardening or thickening of the skin around a central point in the foot, caused by pressure or friction

2. informal  to offend or hurt someone by touching on a sensitive subject or encroaching on his privileges

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Etymology

Origin of corn¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch koren, Old Norse korn, German Korn, Gothic kaúrn; akin to Russian zernó, Latin grānum grain

Origin of corn²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English corn(e), from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin cornū horn (hence a horny hardening of the cuticle); cornu

Origin of -corn³

Representing Latin -cornis horned

Example Sentences

Researchers are now examining how oxylipins lead to weight gain and whether similar reactions occur with other oils high in linoleic acid, including corn, sunflower, and safflower oils.

From Science Daily

While Campbell's acknowledged using genetically modified crops such as corn and soybean, the chicken "comes from long-trusted" federally-approved suppliers "and meets our high quality standards," it said in a statement.

From Barron's

Gone are the sweet potatoes, pecan pie and corn muffins.

From The Wall Street Journal

I drove cross-country once and quite honestly, there was a lot of corn, but it was really beautiful.

From Los Angeles Times

“With the heels I’m wearing all the time, you can see the corns,” she says, looking down to check out the pedicurist’s progress.

From Los Angeles Times

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