'Zea Mays' definitions:
Definition of 'Zea mays'
From: WordNet
noun
Tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times [syn: corn, maize, Indian corn, Zea mays]
Definition of 'Zea Mays'
From: GCIDE
- Indian corn \Indian corn\ (Bot.), A cereal plant of the genus Zea (Zea Mays), also simply called corn, used widely as a food; the maize, a native plant of America; more specifically: a primitive variety of Zea Mays having variegated kernels on each cob, in distinction from the more commonly used yellow corn; it is often used as decoration at Thanksgiving time. See Corn, and Maize. [1913 Webster +PJC]
- Note: In modern American usage, the word corn when unmodified usually refers to yellow corn, and Indian corn refers to the variegated variety. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Definition of 'Zea Mays'
From: GCIDE
- Indian corn \Indian corn\ (Bot.), A cereal plant of the genus Zea (Zea Mays), also simply called corn, used widely as a food; the maize, a native plant of America; more specifically: a primitive variety of Zea Mays having variegated kernels on each cob, in distinction from the more commonly used yellow corn; it is often used as decoration at Thanksgiving time. See Corn, and Maize. [1913 Webster +PJC]
- Note: In modern American usage, the word corn when unmodified usually refers to yellow corn, and Indian corn refers to the variegated variety. [1913 Webster +PJC]
Definition of 'Zea Mays'
From: GCIDE
- maize \maize\ (m[=a]z), n. [Sp. maiz. fr. mahiz or mahis, is the language of the Island of Haiti.] (Bot.) A large species of American grass of the genus Zea ({Zea Mays}), widely cultivated as a forage and food plant; Indian corn, commonly called corn. Also, its seed, growing on cobs, and used as food for men and animals. [1913 Webster]
- Maize eater (Zool.), a South American bird of the genus Pseudoleistes, allied to the troupials.
- Maize yellow, a delicate pale yellow. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Zea Mays'
From: GCIDE
- Zea \Ze"a\ (z[=e]"[.a]), n. [L., a kind of grain, fr. Gr. ze`a, zeia`; cf. Skr. yava barley.] (Bot.) A genus of large grasses of which the Indian corn ({Zea Mays}) is the only species known. Its origin is not yet ascertained. See Maize. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Zea mays'
From: GCIDE
- Corn \Corn\, n. [AS. corn; akin to OS. korn, D. koren, G., Dan., Sw., & Icel. korn, Goth. ka['u]rn, L. granum, Russ. zerno. Cf. Grain, Kernel.]
- 1. A single seed of certain plants, as wheat, rye, barley, and maize; a grain. [1913 Webster]
- 2. The various farinaceous grains of the cereal grasses used for food, as wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats. [1913 Webster]
- Note: In Scotland, corn is generally restricted to oats, in the United States, to maize, or Indian corn (see sense 3), and in England to wheat. [1913 Webster +PJC]
- 3. a tall cereal plant (Zea mays) bearing its seeds as large kernels in multiple rows on the surface of a hard cylindrical ear, the core of which (the cob) is not edible; -- also called Indian corn and, in technical literature, maize. There are several kinds; as, {yellow corn}, which grows chiefly in the Northern States, and is yellow when ripe; white corn or southern corn, which grows to a great height, and has long white kernels; sweet corn, comprising a number of sweet and tender varieties, grown chiefly at the North, some of which have kernels that wrinkle when ripe and dry; pop corn, any small variety, used for popping. Corn seeds may be cooked while on the ear and eaten directly, or may be stripped from the ear and cooked subsequently. The term {Indian corn} is often used to refer to a primitive type of corn having kernels of varied color borne on the same cob; it is used for decoration, especially in the fall. [1913 Webster +PJC]
- 4. The plants which produce corn, when growing in the field; the stalks and ears, or the stalks, ears, and seeds, after reaping and before thrashing. [1913 Webster]
- In one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail had thrashed the corn. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 5. A small, hard particle; a grain. "Corn of sand." --Bp. Hall. "A corn of powder." --Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster]
- Corn ball, a ball of popped corn stuck together with soft candy from molasses or sugar.
- Corn bread, bread made of Indian meal.
- Corn cake, a kind of corn bread; johnny cake; hoecake.
- Corn cockle (Bot.), a weed (Agrostemma Githago syn. Lychnis Githago), having bright flowers, common in grain fields.
- Corn flag (Bot.), a plant of the genus Gladiolus; -- called also sword lily.
- Corn fly. (Zool.) (a) A small fly which, in the larval state, is injurious to grain, living in the stalk, and causing the disease called "gout," on account of the swelled joints. The common European species is Chlorops t[ae]niopus. (b) A small fly (Anthomyia ze) whose larva or maggot destroys seed corn after it has been planted.
- Corn fritter, a fritter having green Indian corn mixed through its batter. [U. S.]
- Corn laws, laws regulating trade in corn, especially those in force in Great Britain till 1846, prohibiting the importation of foreign grain for home consumption, except when the price rose above a certain rate.
- Corn marigold. (Bot.) See under Marigold.
- Corn oyster, a fritter containing grated green Indian corn and butter, the combined taste resembling that of oysters. [U.S.]
- Corn parsley (Bot.), a plant of the parsley genus (Petroselinum segetum), a weed in parts of Europe and Asia.
- Corn popper, a utensil used in popping corn.
- Corn poppy (Bot.), the red poppy (Papaver Rh[oe]as), common in European cornfields; -- also called corn rose.
- Corn rent, rent paid in corn.
- Corn rose. See Corn poppy.
- Corn salad (Bot.), a name given to several species of Valerianella, annual herbs sometimes used for salad. Valerianella olitoria is also called lamb's lettuce.
- Corn stone, red limestone. [Prov. Eng.]
- Corn violet (Bot.), a species of Campanula.
- Corn weevil. (Zool.) (a) A small weevil which causes great injury to grain. (b) In America, a weevil (Sphenophorus ze[ae]) which attacks the stalk of maize near the root, often doing great damage. See Grain weevil, under Weevil. [1913 Webster]