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Glite Dictionary
Yankee corn

Yankee corn

9.3
A type of corn with hard outer kernel and softer inner part
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : maíz Yankee
  • The tough kernels of Yankee corn make it ideal for grinding into cornmeal.

Examples

  • I bought some Yankee corn at the farmer's market.

  • This museum exhibit displays several varieties, including Yankee corn and sweet corn.

  • Farmers in the Northeast often grew Yankee corn because of its resistance to cold weather.

  • The Yankee corn was sweeter than I expected.

  • Farmers in the Northeast often grew Yankee corn because of its hard outer layer, which protects the softer inner kernels.

  • The tough kernels of Yankee corn make it perfect for grinding into a coarse cornmeal.

  • At the farmer's market, I found Yankee corn with its distinctive hard texture and rich flavor.

Synonyms

Indian corn
vsYankee corn
  • US
1 4.2

A type of corn with hard kernels in many colors used for decoration or food

describes the same kernel structure without colour emphasis
flint maize
vsYankee corn
  • Specialized
7.9

A type of corn with a hard outer layer and a soft inside

is the general name for the same kernel structure
Zea mays indurata
vsYankee corn
  • Specialized
9.9

A type of corn with hard outer kernels often ground to make cornmeal

is the common description rather than the botanical variety name
flint corn
vsYankee corn
  • Specialized
8.1

A type of corn with hard outer kernels and a soft inside used for food or decoration

focuses on the kernel structure rather than decorative use

Surface Forms

Yankee corn singular
Yankee corns plural

Morphology

Yankee + corn

A B1 learner who knows 'Yankee' and 'corn' will readily infer that this is a kind or variety of corn associated with Yankees or the northern U.S., so the compound's basic category is transparent. However, the specific definitional detail about kernel structure (a hard outer layer surrounding a softer endosperm) is a technical botanical property not predictable from the constituents, making the overall meaning only partially derivable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Yankee corn probably comes from New England farmers, called 'Yankees', who grew a very hard kind of corn that could stand cold weather. So today Yankee corn means a type of corn with a tough outer shell around a softer inside.