Egyptian corn
- noun
- Indian
:
maíz egipcio
- Farmers in Sudan depend on Egyptian corn as a staple crop during the dry season.
Examples
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Researchers are developing new varieties of Egyptian corn that can withstand drought conditions.
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The local market was stocked with bags of Egyptian corn harvested from nearby fields.
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Farmers in Egypt grow Egyptian corn for its drought-resistant qualities.
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Did you know that Egyptian corn is used in many traditional dishes?
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Farmers in Sudan depend on Egyptian corn as a staple crop during the dry season.
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Researchers are developing new varieties of Egyptian corn that can withstand drought conditions.
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The local market was stocked with bags of Egyptian corn harvested from nearby fields.
Synonyms
A type of grain plant grown in dry parts of Asia and North Africa for food and animal feed
A grain plant grown in dry places for food and animal feed
A grain plant grown in dry areas for food and animal feed
A grain plant that grows in dry parts of Asia and North Africa
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally interpretable — a B1 learner who knows 'Egyptian' and 'corn' will plausibly infer a cereal/grain associated with Egypt (i.e., a type of corn from Egypt). However, the established sense refers specifically to varieties of sorghum (not necessarily maize) and carries technical/regional agricultural nuance that is not predictable from the constituents alone, so the mapping is only partial.
Etymology
Egyptian corn gets its name from old trade and simple naming. When Europeans saw a grain called sorghum that looked a bit like common corn and often came from Egypt or nearby lands, they called it Egyptian corn because 'corn' once meant any 'grain', and that name stayed for sorghum that can grow in dry places.
