Corn
/kɔːrn/
Definitions
2 meaningsA grain that grows on a stalk, often used for food.
/kɔːrn/
A cereal grain, especially maize.
The farmer planted a field of corn.
💡 Simply: Corn is like the yummy, sweet kernels you eat at the movies as popcorn or in a salad! It's a plant that grows these delicious, golden treats.
👶 For kids: Corn is a yummy food that grows on a plant, and you can eat the kernels.
More Examples
We ate corn on the cob for dinner.
Corn is a staple food in many cultures.
How It's Used
"Farmers harvest corn in the fall."
"Corn is used to make corn syrup and other food products."
A localized, usually painful thickening of the skin, typically on the feet.
/kɔːrn/
A hard, thickened area of skin, typically on the feet.
She had a corn on her little toe.
💡 Simply: Ouch! Sometimes, when your shoes rub too much, you can get a corn. It's like a little hard bump of skin that can hurt.
👶 For kids: Sometimes you can get a hard bump on your foot called a corn. It's like a small, tough patch.
More Examples
Wearing ill-fitting shoes can cause corns.
The podiatrist treated the patient's corn.
How It's Used
"He developed a corn on his toe after wearing tight shoes."
Idioms & expressions
corn on the cob
An ear of corn that is still in its husk and cooked (boiled, grilled, etc.) to be eaten whole, with the kernels still on the cob.
"We enjoyed eating corn on the cob at the summer barbecue."
go against the grain
To go against the natural tendency or inclination; to go against what is usual or expected.
"It goes against the grain for me to be so passive."
corn syrup
A syrup made from cornstarch, used as a sweetener in foods.
"Corn syrup is a common ingredient in many processed foods."
From Old English *corn*, referring to any grain or seed. Over time, it came to specifically denote maize in North America.
Historically, 'corn' referred to any grain. Its specific meaning of maize is a relatively recent development in North America.
Memory tip
Think of a field of tall stalks with ears of corn.