maize

American  

[meyz] / meɪz /

noun

1. (chiefly in British and technical usage) corn.

2. a pale yellow resembling the color of corn.

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maize British  

/ meɪz /

noun

1. Also called: Indian corn. 

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

   2. Usual US and Canadian name: corn.  the grain of this plant, used for food, fodder, and as a source of oil See also sweet corn

2. 1. a yellow colour

   2. ( as modifier )

      a maize gown

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Etymology

Origin of maize

First recorded in 1545–55; from Spanish maíz, from Taíno (Hispaniola) mahís

Explanation

Maize is another word for corn, the tall-growing grain that produces yellow kernels on long ears. A small farmer might grow several different types of maize. Maize is more commonly used in Britain than in the United States to talk about corn, but most Americans recognize the word. Sweet maize is the variety that tastes the most delicious — other kinds of maize are grown as grain to feed animals. The word maize comes from the Spanish maíz, or corn, and both the word and the grain itself moved north from Central and South America into North America, where it became the continent's largest grain crop.

Example Sentences

Sawe, born in Kenya's Rift Valley, where his father worked as a maize farmer, declared it "a day to remember" after obliterating Kiptum's world record by 65 seconds.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

The possibility of him suiting up in Wolverine yellow, sorry, maize and blue makes me want to sign onto the next Artemis mission, so long as it abandons me on Pluto.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Laboratory analysis showed extremely high nitrogen levels in the maize.

From Science Daily • Mar. 7, 2026

The South American nation is the world's top exporter of soy and maize, and ongoing efforts to upgrade river ports aim to ease transportation.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Maize lacks digestible niacin, the amino acids lysine and tryptophan, necessary to make proteins and diets with too much maize can lead to protein deficiency and pellagra, a disease caused by lack of niacin.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann