corn
corn
Pronunciation
/kɔːrn/.
corn:
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought" or "north")
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant
/n/ - voiced alveolar nasal
Word Form Variations
As a Noun (referring to the grain or plant):
Singular (uncountable): corn (e.g., "We planted corn in the field." "Do you like sweet corn?")
In this sense, it's generally treated as a mass noun, like "water" or "rice," and doesn't typically have a plural form.
Plural (when referring to individual grains or multiple types/harvests): corns (less common in everyday usage for the plant itself, but possible when referring to individual kernels or distinct varieties. For example, "The bird ate the scattered corns," or "They were discussing the different corns grown in the region.")
As a Noun (referring to a hardened patch of skin on the foot):
Singular: corn (e.g., "I have a painful corn on my toe.")
Plural: corns (e.g., "She gets corns on her feet from wearing tight shoes.")
As a Verb:
Base form: corn (e.g., "They will corn the beef tomorrow.")
Third-person singular present: corns (e.g., "He corns his own beef.")
Present participle: corning (e.g., "She is corning the beef now.")
Past tense/Past participle: corned (e.g., "They corned the beef last week." "The corned beef was delicious.")
Related Adjective:
corny (e.g., "That joke was really corny.")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A tall cereal plant (botanically, Zea mays) widely cultivated for its edible kernels, which are typically arranged in rows on a cob and enclosed by leafy husks. It is a staple food in many parts of the world, consumed directly, processed into flour, oil, or syrup, or used as animal feed.
Synonyms: maize, Indian corn
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; it's a specific plant)
The edible kernels of the corn plant, often prepared by boiling, roasting, or popping, and eaten as a vegetable or snack.
Synonyms: kernels, grains (when referring to individual units)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
A small, localized area of hardened, thickened skin on the foot, often conical in shape and causing pain due to pressure, typically forming over a joint or bony prominence.
Synonyms: callus (broader, flatter hardening), bunion (bony protrusion with inflamed skin)
Antonyms: soft skin, healthy skin
(British English, historical) Any cereal grain, especially the predominant one in a particular region, such as wheat in England or oats in Scotland.
Synonyms: grain, cereal, wheat (in specific contexts), oats (in specific contexts)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; it's a category)
Verb
To preserve (meat, especially beef) by salting and pickling in brine.
Synonyms: salt, pickle, cure, brine
Antonyms: fresh (referring to unpreserved meat), spoil (referring to meat decaying)
Adjective
(Informal, often derogatory) Trite, clichéd, or overly sentimental to the point of being unsophisticated or unoriginal; mawkishly simplistic.
Synonyms: corny, cheesy, hackneyed, trite, clichéd, mawkish, sentimental, saccharine, kitschy, pedestrian
Antonyms: original, sophisticated, fresh, novel, witty, cutting-edge, subtle, profound, nuanced
Examples of Use
In Books:
"Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field." (Dwight D. Eisenhower, attributed quote) - This uses "corn" to refer to the agricultural crop and the labor associated with it.
"Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep." (Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack) - Here, "corn" refers to grain in a general sense, emphasizing its value as a staple.
In historical novels about ancient Rome, the word "corn" often appears in discussions of grain imports from places like Egypt. This is an older, British English usage where "corn" meant any cereal grain, not specifically maize. (As noted in a Reddit discussion about the use of "corn" in I, Claudius).
In Newspapers:
"Increasing corn yield. The aim of every grower is high corn yield, and there are a large number of agronomic factors that can influence this..." (Yara United States, a news article about agricultural practices) - This highlights the scientific and economic importance of "corn" as a crop.
"Science: Corn Paper | TIME." (Headline, TIME Magazine) - This refers to the innovative use of corn stalks for paper production, showcasing its industrial applications.
In Online Publications:
"Corn, also known as maize, has long been regarded as one of the most versatile crops in the world." (Markets.com, Corn: A Commodity With A Thousand Uses) - This emphasizes "corn" as a global commodity and its broad utility.
"The 🌽 emoji is usually a slang term for pornography. On TikTok, words like 'porn' and 'pornography' are blacklisted, and no type of adult content is allowed on the platform." (WikiHow, What Does the Corn Emoji Mean?) - This demonstrates a modern, informal, and coded use of the "corn" emoji in digital communication.
In Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Movies:
"They say it's the last crop of okra ever." (A character in Interstellar says this, highlighting a future where corn might be one of the only remaining crops, underscoring its vital role in survival.)
"The corn is as high as an elephant's eye." (From the song "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" in the musical Oklahoma!) - This evokes imagery of thriving corn fields and a prosperous rural setting.
Many movies feature popcorn as a quintessential snack, such as scenes in Gremlins or Foul Play where popcorn is a prop or plot point. This is a common association of "corn" with entertainment.
Music:
"Roots Remastered is the world's first music album made from corn." (Vernon Matters, describing a unique project by Bayer Crop Sciences) - This showcases an innovative and literal use of "corn" in an artistic endeavor.
Television/Streaming:
A character might complain about a "really corny joke" in a sitcom, using the adjective derived from "corn" to describe something unoriginal or overly sentimental.
Documentaries about agriculture or food systems frequently feature extensive discussions and visuals of corn farming and its impact.
In General Public Discourse:
"I have a painful corn on my pinky toe; it's making walking difficult." (Everyday conversation) - This refers to the medical condition, a common use of the noun.
"Are we having corn on the cob with dinner tonight?" (Everyday conversation) - A common question about a popular way to prepare and consume the vegetable.
Discussions around "high-fructose corn syrup" in debates about diet and public health. (Common in discussions about processed foods).
Protest slogans or discussions about "The Corn Laws" in historical and political discourse, referring to the British legislation that regulated grain imports. (As referenced in various historical texts and political discussions).
10 Famous Quotes Using Corn
"Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field." (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
"Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep." (Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack)
"The corn is as high as an elephant's eye." (Oscar Hammerstein II, from the song "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" in Oklahoma!)
"And the hungry people of the land went out for corn." (Genesis 41:55, King James Bible)
"A lean peace is better than a fat victory, for peace brings corn to the hungry." (Thomas Fuller)
"He who is not liberal with what he has, does but deceive himself when he thinks he will be liberal when he is rich." (Charles Spurgeon, a metaphorical quote where "corn" represents prosperity, similar to "plenty")
"You can't get away from corn on the cob in the Midwest." (Unknown, a general observation about regional cuisine)
"That joke was so corny, I almost choked on my popcorn." (Common idiom, highlighting the adjective derived from the word)
"The corn in the field is not enough to fill the belly of the hungry." (African Proverb, common in discourse about food security)
"A penny saved is a penny earned." (Benjamin Franklin, though not directly using "corn," this emphasizes the value of accumulated resources, similar to the idea of storing "corn" for future use.)
Etymology
The word "corn" has a long and interesting history, and its meaning has changed quite a bit over time, especially depending on where you are in the world!
At its very beginning, the word "corn" comes from a very old language called Proto-Germanic, which was spoken thousands of years ago. The original word was something like "kurną", and it simply meant a "small seed" or "grain" in a general sense. Think of it as a tiny, hard particle.
So, the first known use and meaning of the word "corn" (in its earliest forms) was to refer to any kind of cereal grain, like wheat, barley, or oats. It was a common, everyday word for the seeds harvested from grasses that humans ate. This usage dates back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD).
Over centuries, as different regions had different main grains, the word "corn" started to be applied to the most important or most common grain in that specific area.
In England, for a long time, "corn" usually meant wheat.
In Scotland and Ireland, it often referred to oats.
Then, when Europeans arrived in the Americas, they encountered a new and important grain: maize (what most Americans now call "corn"). To distinguish it from their familiar grains, they initially called it "Indian corn." But over time, especially in North America, the "Indian" part was dropped, and "corn" simply became the common word for maize. This specific North American meaning of "corn" (as in Zea mays) developed around the 18th century.
It's also worth noting that the word "corn" for a hardened patch of skin on the foot comes from a completely different origin! This "corn" comes from the Latin word "cornū," meaning "horn," because of its hard, pointy nature. This usage appeared much later, around the 15th century.
So, in a nutshell:
Original meaning (ancient times, Old English): Any small seed or grain.
Later meaning (British English): The main cereal grain of a region (often wheat or oats).
Modern North American meaning: Specifically the plant and kernels of Zea mays (maize).
Foot condition meaning: From a Latin word for "horn."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Corn
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "corn":
Corn on the cob: A whole ear of corn with the kernels still attached, typically boiled, roasted, or grilled.
Corny joke: A joke that is unoriginal, overly sentimental, or clichéd.
As high as an elephant's eye: (From Oklahoma!) Describing very tall corn or something growing very high.
Corn-fed: Often used to describe someone or something robust and well-nourished, especially in a rural or wholesome way.
To corn beef: To cure or preserve beef with salt and brine.
Corn-belt: A region where corn is a primary agricultural product (e.g., the U.S. Midwest).
To tread on someone's corns: To offend or upset someone by touching upon a sensitive subject (referring to the foot condition).
To separate the wheat from the chaff: (Synonym for "corn" in its general grain sense) To distinguish valuable things from worthless ones.
To sow your wild oats: (Synonym for "corn" in its general grain sense) To engage in reckless or irresponsible behavior in one's youth.
A grain of truth: A small amount of truth (using "grain" as a synonym for "corn" in its original sense of a small particle).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of corn from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
