Definition

1. Noun:
   • A variety of corn (maize) whose kernels contain both hard and soft starch, causing the crown of the dried kernel to become indented or dented at maturity. This characteristic indentation is the source of its name. It is a major type of field corn primarily used for animal feed, industrial products, and processed foods.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Most of the dent corn grown in the Midwest is used for livestock feed.
  • The farmer harvested a large field of dent corn, which would later be processed into ethanol.
  • You can identify dent corn by the distinctive dimple on the top of each dried kernel.

Advanced Usage

• "Yellow dent corn": A common subtype, often specifying the kernel color.

  • Yellow dent corn is a primary source for making high-fructose corn syrup.

• In agricultural contexts: Often discussed in terms of hybrid varieties, yield, and moisture content at harvest.

  • The new hybrid of dent corn has shown excellent drought resistance.

Variants and Related Words

• Field corn (n): A broad category of corn grown for purposes other than human consumption as sweet corn; dent corn is a primary type of field corn.
• Flint corn (n): A variety of corn with kernels containing primarily hard starch, which do not dent.
• Flour corn (n): A variety of corn with kernels containing primarily soft starch.
• Zea mays indentata (n): The scientific name for dent corn.

Synonyms

• Field corn (in a general sense, though this term includes other types like flint corn).
• Grain corn.

Related Terms and Contexts

• Animal feed: A primary use for dent corn.
• Corn ethanol: A biofuel often produced from dent corn.
• Cornmeal / Grits: Can be produced from ground dent corn.
• Kernel dent: The physical characteristic that defines this type of corn.

Noun

1. corn whose kernels contain both hard and soft starch and become indented at maturity