Corn
Corn is a term that applies to any staple food grain—that is, a fruit of a plant in the Grass Family (Poaceae). Originally, the term referred to the kernel of any grain; for instance, barleycorn. In various English-speaking countries, the term is generally used for a particular grain. Thus:
- In North America and Australia, corn means maize. Usage as a generic term for grain has been lost. Common segments include:
- Sweetcorn, a hybridised variety of maize with a high sugar content. (This is the variety found in supermarkets and roadside stands).
- Field corn, once described as roasting ears. Used for human consumption as grits, hominy, corn meal, corn starch, corn syrup. Mostly grown as a feed crop for cattle and other livestock.
- The term corn may also be used as a shorthand for various food products made from maize such as cornbread, corn meal, etc.
- In England, corn means wheat, although the word often retains its generic meaning there.
- In Scotland, corn may refer to oats.
A corn can also be a callus—a horny or hardened place on the human skin, most often occurring on the foot. This hardening extends into the subcutaneous layers of the skin and can become tender or painful.
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