roasting ear

American  

noun

1. an ear of sweet corn suitable for roasting while still in the husk.

2. Midland and Southern U.S. an ear of sweet corn ripe enough to be boiled and eaten on the cob.

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Etymology

Origin of roasting ear

An Americanism dating back to 1640–50

Example Sentences

Behind her on the kitchen table two parcels were tied up in napkins: cold fried chicken, a roasting ear, a jar each of pickled peaches for sure, and I don’t know what all.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Because the racoons damage corn in the roasting ear stage the animals are disliked by the farmers, a score of whom sometimes band together in an organized hunt to kill the animals.

From An Annotated Check List of the Mammals of Michoac?n, M?xico by Bernardo Villa R.

Corn was in the roasting ear state, and there were plenty of big fields of it beyond and near the picket lines, and we helped ourselves liberally.

From The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War, 1861-1865 by Stillwell, Leander