maize

American  

[mayz] / meɪz /

noun

• maizes
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• maizes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of maize

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

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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

See Examples For:

maize maizes

"We do not know if the dogs were intentionally fed maize or if perhaps, they were just eating leftovers or trash," said Tomczyk.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

The loss of American and Canadian grain, maize and soya exports drives global food prices upwards.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026

The ministry's top official in charge of livestock development, Jonathan Mueke, said the immediate focus was to get more feed for farmers, including through duty-free importation of yellow maize.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

European grain maize yields are expected to fall 7% below the five-year average, while soybean yields are projected to drop 14% below average.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

If that relation held true in upstate New York—a big, but not ridiculous assumption—arithmetic suggests that the four villages, closely packed together, were surrounded by between eight and sixteen square miles of maize fields.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

The comparative nutritive value of white and yellow maizes.

From The Vitamine Manual by Walter H. Eddy

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