this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2025
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[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (4 children)

So about english; maize is the plant and corn the product? Or are they used interchangeably?

[–] thespcicifcocean@lemmy.world 17 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

maize is the name for the plant, maze is the english word for labyrinth. therefore, this is a maize maze. Bonus points if it's really cool, because then it could be called the amazing maize maze. If it belongs to someone named Maisey, it would be Maisey's amazing maize maze.

[–] Unlearned9545@lemmy.world 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

They are mostly used interchangeably. Maize is the older term for corn, and in the US South at least when someone says maize you might get a smaller multicolor cob rather then a yellow one. Reds, blues, purple, all sorts of colors (naturally). It's only yellow and large from years of selected breeding.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 month ago

Alright, thanks!

[–] wieson@feddit.org 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Corn used to be a general term for grain kernel. Like wheat corn, spelt corn, oat corn and maize 🌽 corn.

Someone started to use corn interchangeably with maize.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Wait so that means Sweet Corn isn't even corn.

[–] moobythegoldensock 1 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It is, it’s a variety of maize corn.

[–] Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It might be maize, but it doesn't fit the old definition of corn. Sweet corn is a vegetable when consumed in the immature stage and not a grain.

[–] The_v@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Terms referring to the kernels are combination phrases grain corn, sweet corn, popcorn, indian corn etc.

The plant is a "corn plant".

Maize is rarely used but understood most commonly as "indian maize" as interchangeable with "indian corn".

If you don't know the usage or type it's common to use the general term like "corn field".