Indian cornn.
/ˌɪndɪən ˈkɔːn/, U.S. /ˌɪndiən ˈkɔrn/ Maize, Zea mays; the grain of this; see maize n. Frequently attributive.Also called sweetcorn, or (in the United States) simply corn.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > corn, cereals, or grain > [noun] > maize
maizea1544
Turkey corn1597
turkey wheat1598
Indian corn1604
Indian1641
Turkish wheat1670
mealies1801
kanga1843
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [noun] > maize
Turkey corn1597
turkey wheat1598
Indian corn1604
Indian1641
Turkish wheat1670
mealies1801
kanga1843
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > cereal, corn, or grain > [adjective] > of maize
Indian corn1604
mealies1855
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies Table sig. a 4/2 Mays, Indian corne, howe they eate it, and make drinke thereof.
c1621 W. Hilton Let. in J. Smith New Englands Trials (Arb.) 261 Better grain cannot be then the Indian corne.
1630 J. Winthrop Let. 29 Nov. in Hist. New Eng. (1825) (modernized text) I. App. 379 Though we have not beef and mutton, &c. yet (God be praised)..our Indian corn answers for all.
1677 W. Hubbard Narr. Troubles with Indians New-Eng. Postscr. 6 He propounded it in his Councell, that all the West Plantations..should this last Summer be planted with Indian-Corn.
1781 S. Peters Gen. Hist. Connecticut 242 Maize, or Indian corn, is planted in hillocks three feet apart.
1817 T. S. Raffles Hist. Java (1830) I. 108 Indian corn is usually roasted in the ear.
1856 Cottage Gardener 2 Dec. 140/2 Indian corn is bad food for poultry.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) II. 1401 Maize (Zea Mays).—This cereal, often called ‘Indian corn’, is of great importance as a foodstuff, especially in tropical and sub-tropical countries.
1970 D. Brown Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee xv. 353 Their eyes were greedy for the rich alluvial fields on which grew the finest Indian corn on the Plains.
2006 Flora Internat. Sept.–Oct. 4/1 The heavy cobs of multicoloured Indian corn (Zea mays) were supported on bamboo food skewers.
Compounds
General attributive, as Indian corn field, Indian corn meal, Indian corn patch, etc.
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1642 in Hist. Coll. Essex Inst. (1863) V. 219/2 Other poore people shalbe repayed..at the next Indian corne harvest.
a1744 W. Byrd Hist. Dividing Line (1929) 209 We encampt near one of these Indian Corn Fields, where was excellent Food for our Horses.
1751 J. Bartram Observ. Trav. from Pensilvania 60 This repast consisted of 3 great kettles of Indian corn soop, or thin homony, with dry'd eels and other fish boiled in it.
1778 in Pennsylvania Mag. Hist. & Biogr. (1902) 26 32 Went into winter quarters in Newport, in old empty houses..and the food worse,—little bread and that made of rice and Indian corn meal.
1796 I. Weld Trav. N. Amer. (1800) I. 183 Indian corn bread..is a coarse, strong kind of bread, which has something of the taste of that made from oats.
1818 F. Hall Trav. Canada & U.S. xxviii. 324 The traveller..suddenly mounting a little rise, close to a poor cottage with its Indian corn patch..finds himself opposite to the Capitol of the Federal city.
1888 W. Whitman November Boughs 76 A circle of twelve or fourteen ‘pickaninnies’, eating their supper of pudding (Indian corn mush) and milk.
1964 Cookbk. (Amer. Heritage) (1967) 163 Indian corn stew.
1986 B. Fussell I hear Amer. Cooking Introd. p. xxxvii The Southwest held Indian corn dances and ate posole, honoring both Christ and the corn gods.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1604