noun

corn

KAWN

noun

A tall cereal plant grown for its large yellow kernels, called maize outside North America.

"They grew rows of sweet corn behind the barn."

In British English, the main cereal grain grown in a particular region (such as wheat).

"The fields of corn stretched to the horizon in the English countryside."

A small, hard patch of thickened skin, usually on the foot, caused by friction.

"The tight shoes gave her a painful corn on her little toe."

Something considered old-fashioned, sentimental, or cheesy, especially in entertainment.

"The dialogue in the movie was pure corn."

verb

To preserve meat in a coarse salt brine.

"The recipe shows you how to corn your own beef at home."

How to Use Corn

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA cereal grain (especially maize in American English), or informally something cheesy and sentimental.

UK vs US

In the US "corn" almost always means maize; in the UK it historically meant whatever grain was the local staple, often wheat.

Common pairings

sweet corn corn on the cob pure corn

Word Forms

corned past tense, corns plural, corns plural, corns singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “corn” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

They grew rows of sweet _____ behind the barn.

Etymology

From Old English "corn," from a Proto-Germanic root meaning "grain," ultimately related to a root meaning "worn down" or "ground." A doublet of "grain" and "granum." The specific American sense of "maize" grew out of the older phrase "Indian corn."

Rhymes for corn

born torn worn horn porn Zorn morn Dorn sworn acorn thorn adorn

See all rhymes for corn →