German word

Korn

Pronunciation

IPA/kɔʁn/

Meaning

  • neuter noungrain

Example

Ich finde ein Korn im Brot.

I found a grain in the bread.

Illustration for Korn (grain)

More examples

Beim Kochen hielt sie ein einzelnes Reiskorn zwischen den Fingern.

While cooking, she held a single rice grain between her fingers.

Core concept

One hard grain hidden in bread, serving as a concrete model for a very small part of a larger whole.

Common phrases

  • ein Korn

    a grain

  • Reiskorn

    rice grain

  • Weizenkorn

    wheat grain

Similar words

Getreide: Grain crops such as wheat and rice, especially when used as food.
Körner: Individual grains in the plural, each counted as a separate piece.
Mehl: Ground grain in powder form, used as an ingredient in bread and cooking.

Definition in German

Ein einzelnes Körnchen Getreide; bildlich auch ein sehr kleiner Anteil oder Funken von etwas

Word origin

The German noun Korn continues Old High German korn through Middle High German and retains its original grain sense.

Usage tips

  • English grain can be a mass noun, but German Korn commonly refers to one countable grain and takes a plural in Körner.

Other meanings

  • seednoun

Related words

  • Körnunggrain sizenoun
  • körniggrainyadjective

Word lists with this word