cornmeal

American  

[kawrn-meel] / ˈkɔrnˌmil /

noun

1. Also called Indian meal. coarsely ground, unsifted white or yellow corn used in various boiled, fried, or baked dishes.

2. (in Scotland) oatmeal.

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Etymology

Origin of cornmeal

First recorded in 1740–50; corn ¹ + meal ²

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Compare meaning

How does cornmeal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cornmeal vs. cornstarch
• cornmeal vs. corn flour

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Explanation

Cornmeal is a coarse kind of flour made from dried kernels of maize. You can sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza pan to keep the crust from sticking, or cook it with water to make polenta. Grind corn into meal and you get cornmeal, a versatile ingredient that's used in staple foods all over the world. In the U.S., particularly the South, cornmeal is used for grits, fritters, hushpuppies, and cornbread. Mexican cuisines add lime and make masa, the base of tortillas and tamales. Corn congee is a common dish made from cornmeal in several East Asian countries, and in Barbados, cornmeal-based cou-cou is part of the national dish.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cornmeal

East Tennessee's water-powered Old Mill first began grinding cornmeal back in 1830 in the deep Appalachian region along the Little Pigeon River.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Her father, Robert Lee Parton, was a tobacco farmer and paid a missionary a sack of cornmeal for delivering her.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

The “Landman” star said the key for good fried okra is to use cornmeal.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026

Born into crushing poverty in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, her father paid the doctor who delivered her with a sack of cornmeal.

From Salon ● Jan. 19, 2026

Fresh porgies, dipped in egg, a little cornmeal and flour, and fried in a big pot of hot grease till they were golden brown and crispy on the edges.

From "Finding Langston" by Lesa Cline-Ransome

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