often attributive
1
chiefly dialectal
: a small hard particle : grain
2
: a small hard seed
—usually used in combination
peppercorn
barleycorn
3
British
: the grain of a cereal grass that is the primary crop of a region (such as wheat in Britain and oats in Scotland and Ireland)
also
: a plant that produces corn
4
a
: a tall annual cereal grass (Zea mays) originally domesticated in Mexico and widely grown for its large elongated ears of starchy seeds
called also Indian corn, maize
b
: the typically yellow or whitish seeds of corn used especially as food for humans and livestock
c
: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering
5
6
7
corned; corning; corns
1
: to form into grains : granulate
2
a
: to preserve or season with salt in grains
b
: to cure or preserve in brine containing preservatives and often seasonings
corned beef
3
: to feed with corn
: a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe)
Synonyms
Examples of corn in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a story about a lost puppy that was pure corn
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
This new Koreatown player is super dialed-in, and the staples like corn cheese and brisket hotpots are best in class.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
Jim Greer, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2024
What is corned beef?How this recipe became a favorite for St. Patrick's Day
When is St. Patrick's Day?
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corn 
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Noun
The Pinot Noir finish imparts a gentle fruitiness, particularly red berries and light plum notes, on the palate, which blends harmoniously with the sweetness of the corn and malt.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
This new Koreatown player is super dialed-in, and the staples like corn cheese and brisket hotpots are best in class.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Surely not the band members themselves, all of whom have toiled in obscurity for years in the Bay Area music scene, beating their heads against all the familiar struggling-musician walls (apathy, poverty, jealousy) before corning together less than two years ago to form Counting Crows.
—Jim Greer, SPIN, 4 Aug. 2024
What is corned beef?How this recipe became a favorite for St. Patrick's Day
When is St. Patrick's Day?
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for corn
Dictionary Entries Near corn
Cite this Entry
“Corn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corn. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
corn
1 of 3 noun1
: a tall American cereal grass plant widely grown for its large ears of starchy grain which come in many varieties
2
: the seeds of a corn plant that are used especially as food for humans and livestock and are typically yellow or whitish
3
: an ear of corn with or without its leafy outer covering
spent the afternoon picking corn
4
: corny actions or speech
corn
2 of 3 verb
: to preserve by packing with salt or by soaking in salty water
corned beef
corn
3 of 3 noun
: a local hardening and thickening of skin (as on a toe)
Etymology
Noun
Old English corn "seeds of a cereal plant"
Noun
Middle English corne "thickening of the skin," from early French corne "horn," from Latin cornu "horn, point" — related to unicorn
Medical Definition
corn
noun
: a local hardening and thickening of epidermis (as on a toe)
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