green corn
Noun 1. Corn that can be eaten as a vegetable while still young and soft: This refers to the fresh, immature ears of a corn plant, harvested before the kernels become hard and starchy. It is characterized by its tender kernels and sweet flavor. 2. A corn plant developed in order to have young ears that are sweet and suitable for eating: This refers to a specific variety or cultivar of corn (often called sweet corn) that is bred primarily for consumption as "green corn" in its immature, sweet state.
- We bought some green corn at the farmers' market to boil for dinner.
- The recipe calls for the kernels from two ears of green corn.
- This field is planted with a type of green corn that is exceptionally sweet.
- The term is often used in contrast to "field corn" or "dent corn," which is grown primarily for animal feed or for processing into products like cornmeal, and is typically harvested when fully mature and dry.
- In some regional contexts, "green corn" may specifically refer to sweet corn that is picked at its peak freshness, often implying it is cooked and eaten on the same day.
- Sweet corn (n): The most common synonym for the type of corn plant and its edible product referred to as "green corn."
- Corn on the cob (n): A common way of serving green corn/sweet corn, where the whole ear is cooked and eaten.
- Maize (n): The broader term for the cereal plant; "green corn" is a stage or type of maize.
- Sweet corn
- Fresh corn
- Table corn
The two definitions are closely related and often overlap in usage. The first definition focuses on the product (the edible ear at a specific stage). The second definition focuses on the plant type cultivated to produce that product. In common parlance, "green corn" typically encompasses both meanings.
- corn that can be eaten as a vegetable while still young and soft
- a corn plant developed in order to have young ears that are sweet and suitable for eating