ENGLISH
REFERENCE

corn

n. uncountable
A1 Beginner US //ˈkɔɹn// UK //kˈɔːn// corn Archaic Humorous Slang

n. a tall plant that produces large yellow seeds on a cob, which people eat as a vegetable or grind into flour. In some places, it is also called maize.

n. a cereal plant that yields large grains set in rows on a cob. The term is used broadly for the primary cereal crop of a region, though in modern international English it refers specifically to maize.


SIMPLE

We grilled fresh corn on the cob for the summer barbecue.

CONTEXTUAL

Farmers in the Midwest harvest vast fields of corn every autumn to supply the food and fuel industries.

COMPLEX

The domestication of corn from the wild grass teosinte represents one of the most significant agricultural achievements in human history, fundamentally altering the diet of global populations.

Synonyms
Usage

Uncountable when referring to the crop or the grain in bulk; countable when referring to the individual plants or the specific ears of corn.

Idioms4 entries

© 2026 English Reference