Spanish Conversation · Level 62
76 words
Spanish word
maíz
Pronunciation
IPA/maˈiθ/
Meaning
- masculine nouncorn
Example
¿Quieres maíz en el desayuno?
Do you want corn for breakfast?
More examples
La tortilla de maíz acompaña muchos platos mexicanos.
The corn tortilla accompanies many Mexican dishes.
Core concept
Heaped yellow corn kernels as a harvested grain.
Common phrases
tortillas de maíz
corn tortillas
harina de maíz
corn flour
Similar words
elote: Fresh whole ear of corn typically cooked and eaten hot, often sold at street stalls.
choclo: Large-kernel corn typical in parts of South America, usually boiled and served.
mazorca: Cob or ear of corn made up of the central core covered in concentric rows of kernels.
grano: One corn kernel, a single seed that comes from the ear.
Definition in Spanish
Planta anual cuyo fruto son granos comestibles llamados maíz, base para productos como masa, harina y alimentos tradicionales.
Word origin
From Taíno mahiz via early Spanish borrowing, retaining the indigenous term for the cultivated grain.
Usage tips
- Maíz is typically treated as a mass noun in Spanish, so it usually appears without a simple plural when referring to the food or crop.
Other meanings
- maizenoun
Related words
- maicenacornstarchnoun
- maicerocorn-basedadjective