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corn smut

American  

noun

  1. a disease of corn caused by a fungus, Ustilago maydis, and characterized by blackish, powdery masses of spores on the affected parts of the plant.

corn smut British  

noun

  1. an ascomycetous parasitic fungus, Ustilago zeae, that causes gall-like deformations on maize grain

  2. the condition produced by this fungus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of corn smut

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He settled on using one from corn smut, a fungal pathogen.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 18, 2023

A number of parasitic fungi cause diseases such as corn smut and wheat rust that threaten food crops.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018

Huitlacoche, or corn smut, is a Mexican delicacy seldom found outside its native country.

From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.