sweet corn

American  

noun

1. any of several varieties of corn, especially Zea mays rugosa, the grain or kernels of which are sweet and suitable for eating.

2. Chiefly Northern, North Midland, and Western U.S. the young and tender ears of corn, especially when used as a table vegetable.

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sweet corn British  

noun

1. Also called: sugar corn.   green corn.  a variety of maize, Zea mays saccharata, whose kernels are rich in sugar and eaten as a vegetable when young

2. the unripe ears of maize, esp the sweet kernels removed from the cob, cooked as a vegetable

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Etymology

Origin of sweet corn

An Americanism dating back to 1640–50

Compare meaning

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

• field corn vs. sweet corn

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sweet corn

Jason Turek, a fourth-generation grower of sweet corn in New York state, has watched his freight cost per shipment jump from $4,000 last year to roughly $6,600 this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026

That includes corn tortillas, which can be infused alongside agave into your plant-based milk of choice, and sweet corn, which is Rajendran’s personal favorite.

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026

There, Sesa said, Prevost ate whatever was offered to him, including the peasant diet consisting of potatoes, cheese and sweet corn.

From BBC ● May 9, 2025

The sauce holds onto its deep, tomato flavor, and the toppings — from sweet corn and shishitos in the summer to fennel-y Italian sausage in the winter — are bursting with flavor.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2023

Flies buzzed in through the door, landing on the open watermelons and the sweet corn, climbing up the sweating pickle barrel.

From "The Contender" by Robert Lipsyte