maize
Meaning
A tall cereal plant that produces large grains, or kernels, set in rows on a cob.
Usage
The primary crop grown in the region is maize.
Maize is a staple food in many parts of the world.
The field was planted with rows of tall, green maize.
Etymology
The word 'maize' entered the English language in the mid-16th century, following the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It is a direct borrowing from Spanish, which itself adopted the term from the indigenous Taino language of the Caribbean. The Taino word 'mahiz' referred specifically to this New World grain, which was unknown in Europe prior to the Columbian Exchange. English adopted 'maize' to distinguish the plant from other grains, and it remains the preferred scientific and international term, whereas 'corn' is more common in everyday American English.
Analysis
The word 'maize' is a simplex loanword. It originates from the Spanish word 'maíz', which was adopted from the Taino (Arawakan) word 'mahiz', meaning the maize plant or its grain.