maize

noun

ˈmāz 

: a tall annual cereal grass (Zea mays) originally domesticated in Mexico and widely grown for its large elongated ears of starchy seeds : corn entry 1 sense 4

Along with maize, their main food, the ancient Maya planted squash, beans, peppers, cacao, and other plants, all of which they used for food or medicinal purposes.

—Evelyn Dana Feld

But evidence has been elusive, because the standard macrofossils—say, squash rinds or maize kernels—quickly rot in the sultry climate.

—Kathryn Brown

Examples of maize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By 2040, 20 million tons of maize production per year will be lost, along with 19 million tons of rice, eight million tons of soybeans, and 21 million tons of wheat. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024

But researchers didn’t find any maize pollen in the canals. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024

Here’s the breakdown: 24 lobsters, 18 romesco jars, 36 au lait bottles, 40 hog plums, 36 pea flowers, 50 sardines, 50 shallots, 40 blue maize, 36 cardamom, 40 macadamia nut, 30 tomatillo, and 40 licorice. —Rima Suqi, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Ugali, a staple dish in Kenya, is often made with refined maize flour, which strips away the most nutritious parts of the grain. —Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish maíz, from Taino mahiz

First Known Use

circa 1544, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

maize

noun

ˈmāz 

1

: corn entry 1 sense 1

2

corn entry 1 sense 2

3

corn entry 1 sense 3