flint maize
- noun
- /flɪnt meɪz/
- Specialized
:
maíz de grano duro
- The hard kernels of flint maize make it ideal for grinding into cornmeal.
Examples
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Farmers often grow flint maize for its hard kernels.
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Researchers compared the nutritional content of flint maize with that of other maize varieties.
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Farmers in the Midwest often grow flint maize for its resistance to pests and drought.
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Did you know flint maize is used in many traditional dishes?
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Farmers in the Midwest often grow flint maize for its resistance to pests and drought.
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The hard kernels of flint maize make it ideal for grinding into cornmeal.
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Researchers compared the nutritional content of flint maize with that of other maize varieties.
Synonyms
522
1.0
A tall plant with large yellow seeds used for food
1
4.2
A type of corn with hard kernels in many colors used for decoration or food
A type of corn with hard outer kernels often ground to make cornmeal
A type of corn with hard outer kernels and a soft inside used for food or decoration
A type of corn with hard outer kernel and softer inner part
How Hard
Surface Forms
Morphology
flint + maize
The phrase is compositional: 'flint' (a very hard stone; by extension describing hardness) combined with 'maize' (corn) yields 'maize characterized by flint-like hard kernels', which matches the given definition. This kind of noun-noun/adjunct naming for crop varieties (material/texture + plant) is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Flint maize comes from the hard seeds that look like small pieces of flint stone on a corn ear with a softer inside. That's why 'flint maize' means 'a type of maize with a very hard outer layer and a soft inside'.