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

The soil is peat dark, friable, and gravid with potatoes, onions, sugar beet, lettuce, maize, and wheat that moves in dry, whispering sheets. — Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026

Terraced fields of maize and potatoes still line vertiginous farms, and Spanish-colonial churches continue to wither under decades of neglect. — Chris Schalkx, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026

Isotopic analysis revealed that these dogs shared a similar diet with humans, primarily consisting of maize. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026

Underwood was 3 of 9 for 22 yards on Saturday when the Wolverines wrapped up spring practices, putting him on the field with both the blue and maize teams for the first quarter. — CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish maíz, from Taino mahiz

First Known Use

circa 1544, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for maize

• baize
• bays
• blase
• blaze
• braes
• braze
• chaise
• claes
• clays
• craze
• dais
• days

Kids Definition

maize

noun

ˈmāz 

1

: corn entry 1 sense 1

2

corn entry 1 sense 2

3

corn entry 1 sense 3