Also called Indian corn; especially technical and British, maize.a tall cereal plant, Zea mays, cultivated in many varieties, having a jointed, solid stem and bearing the grain, seeds, or kernels on large ears.
2.
the grain, seeds, or kernels of this plant, used for human food or for fodder.
3.
the ears of this plant.
4.
the edible seed of certain other cereal plants, esp. wheat in England and oats in Scotland.
a horny induration or callosity of the epidermis, usually with a central core, formed esp. on the toes or feet and caused by undue pressure or friction.
[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME corne < AF, MF < L cornūhorn, hence a horny hardening of the cuticle. See cornu]
Any of numerous cultivated forms of a widely grown, usually tall annual cereal grass (Zea mays) bearing grains or kernels on large ears.
The grains or kernels of this plant, used as food for humans and livestock or for the extraction of an edible oil or starch. Also called Indian corn, maize.
A single grain of a cereal plant.
A seed or fruit of various other plants, such as a peppercorn.
An ear of this plant.
Chiefly British Any of various cereal plants or grains, especially the principal crop cultivated in a particular region, such as wheat in England or oats in Scotland.
A single grain of a cereal plant.
A seed or fruit of various other plants, such as a peppercorn.
Corn snow.
Informal Corn whiskey.
Slang Something considered trite, dated, melodramatic, or unduly sentimental.
v.
corned, corn·ing, corns
v.
tr.
To cause to form hard particles; granulate.
To season and preserve with granulated salt.
To preserve (beef, for example) in brine.
To feed (animals) with corn or grain.
v.
intr.
To form hard particles; become grainy: "After the snow melts all day, it corns up at night for fine conditions"(Hatfield Valley Advocate).
[Middle English, grain, from Old English; see gə-no- in Indo-European roots.]
corn 2Audio Help (kôrn) Pronunciation Key
n.
A horny thickening of the skin, usually on or near a toe, resulting from pressure or friction. Also called clavus.
[Middle English corne, from Old French, horn, from Latin cornū; see ker-1 in Indo-European roots.]
"grain," O.E. corn, from P.Gmc. *kurnam "small seed," from PIE base *ger- "wear away" (O.Slav. zruno "grain," Skt. jr- "to wear down," L. granum). The sense of the O.E. word was "grain with the seed still in" rather than a particular plant. Locally understood to denote the leading crop of a district. Restricted to corn on the cob in America (originally Indian corn, but the adjective was dropped), usually wheat in England, oats in Scotland and Ireland, while korn means "rye" in parts of Germany. Introduced to China by 1550, it thrived where rice did not grow well and was a significant factor in the 18th century population boom there. Cornflakes first recorded 1907. Corned beef so called for the "corns" or grains of salt with which it is preserved. Cornrows as a hair style is first recorded 1971. Corny "old-fashioned" is Amer.Eng. 1932, originally, "something appealing to country folk."
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
2.
the dried grains or kernels or corn used as animal feed or ground for meal
3.
ears of corn that can be prepared and served for human food
4.
a hard thickening of the skin (especially on the top or sides of the toes) caused by the pressure of ill-fitting shoes
5.
(Great Britain) any of various cereal plants (especially the dominant crop of the region--wheat in Great Britain or oats in Scotland and Ireland)
6.
whiskey distilled from a mash of not less than 80 percent corn [syn: corn whiskey]
7.
something sentimental or trite; "that movie was pure corn"
Corn, OK (town, FIPS 17300) Location: 35.37887 N, 98.78131 W Population (1990): 548 (228 housing units) Area: 0.9 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 73024
Bar"ley*corn`\, n. [See Corn.]1. A grain or "corn" of barley. 2. Formerly, a measure of length, equal to the average length of a grain of barley; the third part of an inch. John Barleycorn, a humorous personification of barley as the source of malt liquor or whisky.
Corn\ (k[^o]rn), n. [L. cornu horn: cf. F. corne horn, hornlike excrescence. See Horn.] A thickening of the epidermis at some point, esp. on the toes, by friction or pressure. It is usually painful and troublesome. Welcome, gentlemen! Ladies that have their toes Unplagued with corns, will have a bout with you. --Shak. Note: The substance of a corn usually resembles horn, but where moisture is present, as between the toes, it is white and sodden, and is called a soft corn.
Corn\, n. [AS. corn; akin to OS. korn, D. koren, G., Dan., Sw., & Icel. korn, Goth. ka['u]rn, L. granum, Russ. zerno. Cf. Grain, Kernel.]1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley, and maize; a grain. 2. The various farinaceous grains of the cereal grasses used for food, as wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats. Note: In Scotland, corn is generally restricted to oats, in the United States, to maize, or Indian corn, of which there are several kinds; as, yellow corn, which grows chiefly in the Northern States, and is yellow when ripe; white or southern corn, which grows to a great height, and has long white kernels; sweet corn, comprising a number of sweet and tender varieties, grown chiefly at the North, some of which have kernels that wrinkle when ripe and dry; pop corn, any small variety, used for popping. 3. The plants which produce corn, when growing in the field; the stalks and ears, or the stalks, ears, and seeds, after reaping and before thrashing. In one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail had thrashed the corn. --Milton. 4. A small, hard particle; a grain. "Corn of sand." --Bp. Hall. "A corn of powder." --Beau. & Fl. Corn ball, a ball of popped corn stuck together with soft candy from molasses or sugar. Corn bread, bread made of Indian meal. Corn cake, a kind of corn bread; johnny cake; hoecake. Corn cockle (Bot.), a weed (Agrostemma or Lychnis Githago), having bright flowers, common in grain fields. Corn flag (Bot.), a plant of the genus Gladiolus; -- called also sword lily. Corn fly. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small fly which, in the larval state, is injurious to grain, living in the stalk, and causing the disease called "gout," on account of the swelled joints. The common European species is Chlorops t[ae]niopus. (b) A small fly (Anthomyia ze) whose larva or maggot destroys seed corn after it has been planted. Corn fritter, a fritter having green Indian corn mixed through its batter. [U. S.] Corn laws, laws regulating trade in corn, especially those in force in Great Britain till 1846, prohibiting the importation of foreign grain for home consumption, except when the price rose above a certain rate. Corn marigold. (Bot.) See under Marigold. Corn oyster, a fritter containing grated green Indian corn and butter, the combined taste resembling that of oysters. [U.S.] Corn parsley (Bot.), a plant of the parsley genus (Petroselinum segetum), a weed in parts of Europe and Asia. Corn popper, a utensil used in popping corn. Corn poppy (Bot.), the red poppy (Papaver Rh[oe]as), common in European cornfields; -- also called corn rose. Corn rent, rent paid in corn. Corn rose. See Corn poppy. Corn salad (Bot.), a name given to several species of Valerianella, annual herbs sometimes used for salad. V. olitoria is also called lamb's lettuce. Corn stone, red limestone. [Prov. Eng.] Corn violet (Bot.), a species of Campanula. Corn weevil. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small weevil which causes great injury to grain. (b) In America, a weevil (Sphenophorus ze[ae]) which attacks the stalk of maize near the root, often doing great damage. See Grain weevil, under Weevil.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [kawrn] Pronunciation Key 
ə-no- in Indo-European roots.]
