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Glite Dictionary
Zea saccharata

Zea saccharata

8.4
A type of corn with young sweet ears that people eat as a vegetable
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : maíz dulce
  • The young ears of Zea saccharata are harvested while still tender and served as a vegetable.

Examples

  • Farmers often plant Zea saccharata because consumers prefer its sweet flavor over field corn.

  • Have you ever tried Zea saccharata on the grill?

  • Researchers are studying Zea saccharata to improve disease resistance in sweet corn crops.

  • I love eating Zea saccharata during the summer.

  • Farmers often plant Zea saccharata because consumers prefer its sweet flavor over field corn.

  • The young ears of Zea saccharata are harvested while still tender and served as a vegetable.

  • I love eating Zea saccharata during the summer.

Synonyms

sweet corn
vsZea saccharata
7 1.1

A type of corn with sweet, tender kernels that people eat as a vegetable when young

is the specific bred variety noted for its especially sweet young ears
Zea mays rugosa
vsZea saccharata
  • Specialized
7.8

A type of corn with sweet young kernels eaten as food

is the cultivated variety developed for sweet young ears rather than a synonym name
sugar corn
vsZea saccharata
  • US
2.5

A type of corn with sweet young ears eaten as a vegetable

is the named cultivated form developed for sweet-tasting young ears rather than general term
sweet corn plant
vsZea saccharata
2.5

A type of corn people grow for sweet, tender kernels to eat

is the cultivated variety chosen for development of especially sweet young ears

Surface Forms

Zea saccharata singular
Zea saccharatas plural

Morphology

Zea + saccharata

This is a Latin binomial: 'Zea' names the maize genus and 'saccharata' contains the Latin root sacchar- (sugar), so the compound denotes a 'sugary' or sweet variety of maize. However, 'saccharata' is not an ordinary English word and Latin scientific names are unfamiliar to average B1 learners, so the sugar-meaning is only recoverable by those who recognise the root or scientific naming conventions.

Etymology

Zea saccharata comes from old words for grain and sugar: Zea was a word for 'grain' and saccharata means 'sugared' or 'sweet'. So the name points to a sweet type of corn that is eaten while the ears are young.