corn
UK[kɔːn]US[kɔːrn]
n
The seeds of a cereal plant, especially wheat, barley, or oats.
n
The chief cereal crop of a region, such as wheat in England or oats in Scotland.
n
(North American) Maize, a tall plant producing large grains set in rows on a cob.
n
A small, hard particle or area, as of sand or a callus.
Etymology
The word 'corn' has a deep history in the Germanic languages, tracing back to the Proto-Germanic kurną, meaning "grain." This, in turn, is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root ǵr̥h₂-nóm, which is related to the concept of ripening or growing old, and is also the source of the Latin 'grānum' (grain). In Old English, 'corn' was a general term for any edible grain, such as wheat or barley. The semantic narrowing in American English to refer specifically to maize occurred after European contact with the New World, where the plant became the dominant cereal crop, while in British English it retains its broader or more regional sense.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. The modern English form 'corn' derives directly from the Old English 'corn', which meant a grain or seed. Its functional role is as a standalone noun.
Examples
The fields were full of ripe corn swaying in the wind.
In American recipes, corn is often used to make bread or syrup.
He had a painful corn on his little toe from wearing tight shoes.