corn silk

American  

noun

1. the long, threadlike, silky styles on an ear of corn.

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corn silk British  

noun

1. the silky tuft of styles and stigmas at the tip of an ear of maize, formerly used as a diuretic

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Etymology

Origin of corn silk

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Remove any corn silk, lightly brush corn with oil, then grill, turning occasionally until the kernels are golden brown.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 2, 2022

It’s the color of her hair — soft and fine as corn silk.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2022

It is a good thing we don’t mind the warm, yeasty smell of a big dog or the drifts of hair that come off his body like canine corn silk.

From Washington Post • Oct. 4, 2020

McCarthy’s stylists get high marks for accuracy on cut and color—a sort of corn silk, “green yellow” in the Crayola lexicon.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 7, 2017

On his flabby shoulders he had wispy blond hairs that flowed in the wind like corn silk.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos