especially technical and British, maize. Also called Indian corn. 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.
the grain, seeds, or kernels of this plant, used for human food or for fodder.
the ears of this plant.
the edible seed of certain other cereal plants, especially wheat in England and oats in Scotland.
the plants themselves.
Skiing. corn snow.
Informal. old-fashioned, trite, or mawkishly sentimental material, as a joke, a story, or music.
to preserve and season with salt in grains.
to preserve and season with brine.
to granulate, as gunpowder.
to plant (land) with corn.
to feed with corn.
Cornish.
Cornwall.
any of various cereal plants, esp the predominant crop of a region, such as wheat in England and oats in Scotland and Ireland
the seeds of such plants, esp after harvesting
a single seed of such plants; a grain
British equivalent: maize. Also called: Indian corn.
a tall annual grass, Zea mays, cultivated for its yellow edible grains, which develop on a spike
the grain of this plant, used for food, fodder, and as a source of oil See also sweet corn popcorn
the plants producing these kinds of grain considered as a growing crop
spring corn
( in combination )
a cornfield
short for corn whisky
slang an idea, song, etc, regarded as banal or sentimental
archaic any hard particle or grain
to feed (animals) with corn, esp oats
to preserve in brine
to salt
to plant corn on
a hardening or thickening of the skin around a central point in the foot, caused by pressure or friction
informal to offend or hurt someone by touching on a sensitive subject or encroaching on his privileges
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch koren, Old Norse korn, German Korn, Gothic kaúrn; akin to Russian zernó, Latin grānum grain
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English corn(e), from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin cornū horn (hence a horny hardening of the cuticle); see origin at cornu
Representing Latin -cornis horned
Corn is a plant that grows long ears of kernels on tall, grass-like stalks. Many large farms grow fields of corn each year, for human or animals to eat, or to make corn-based products. Corn is an important crop in North America, since many animals raised for meat eat corn, not to mention the corn that people consume. In addition, products like high fructose corn syrup and ethanol fuel are made from corn. Many people also love to eat corn on the cob slathered with butter in the summer time. In many parts of the world, it's called maize instead of corn, which is an Old English word meaning "grain."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He notes corn is up 13% since late June, with wheat up 22% to above its May highs.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
I like sprucing up my ramen with fresh bok choy, baby corn, spinach and pickled red onions.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
“I try to just be very clean with what I eat, what I put on my skin,” she says, holding a drink that contains high-fructose corn syrup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
"An overpriced Dubai skyscraper" was among the many critical comments on social media, while lawmaker Gabor Grendel of the opposition Slovensko party called it "the most expensive corn in the world".
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Flopears had only a measly little square of hard salt-and-water corn bread in his pail that wouldn’t fill a wood tick.
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Some 1929 farm facts: Corn. "2,528,000,000 bushels produced, 308,000,000 less than in 1928 . . . smaller acreage . . . reduced yields."
From Time Magazine Archive
The result is the $31,000,000 American Rediscount Corn., which was to start business in Manhattan last week, after the method of the Federal Reserve banks.
From Time Magazine Archive
Talk like the vulgar sort of market men That come to gather money for their Corn. 1st Henry VI, act iii, sc.
From The plant-lore & garden-craft of Shakespeare by Ellacombe, Henry Nicholson
I directed Sergt Gass & 2 men to accompany him to his Village, they Soon returned loaded with Corn. the Chief and his wife also came down.
From The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 by Lewis, Meriwether
In Welsh the result is ei, in Corn. and Bret. e, e.g.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 5 "Cat" to "Celt" by Various
It’s built around the idea of a tale of two corns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2024
The emperor wore his hat with the corns parallel to shoulders - known as "en bataille" - whereas most of his officers wore their hats perpendicular to the shoulders.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2023
As for nutrition, 19 candy corns amount to about 140 calories and 28 grams of sugar.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 24, 2023
Our feet are remarkably high maintenance in the best of times: We have to worry about bunions and blisters, corns and calluses.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 19, 2022
I got to get corns and a bowl of water.
From "Girls Like Us" by Gail Giles
Dishes she's made range from panackelty, a stew consisting of potatoes, onions and corned beef, to Staffordshire oatcakes, a type of yeasted pancake, and Lancashire hotpot, made with mutton or lamb.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
Danny's Jimmy Nardellos and harissa relish with labneh and mint sounded amazing, and I got a kick out of the notion of going from a Chateaubriand to bologna and canned corned beef.
From Salon ● May 29, 2024
Capitol Hill Blog reports that in addition to delicate pastries, the new location will include hearty savory fare like Reuben sandwiches and corned beef hash.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2023
“We would do corned beef tacos over there,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2023
“Oh, there’s corned beef and plenty of potatoes, and I shall get some asparagus and a lobster, ‘for a relish’, as Hannah says.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
Corned beef, on the other hand, is salt cured — hence the corning process.
From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2022
Hybrid striped bass are fair with spinners, and highly shaky rattle traps corning bait in shallow water.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 21, 2020
You need only start by corning your own beef.
From New York Times ● Mar. 6, 2017
Some individual union leaders are also corning under increasing attack from their own rank and file.
From Time Magazine Archive
She could feel the power of the great creature corning off him like waves of heat “I must work till sunset,” he said.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.