dent corn

noun

1. a variety of field corn, Zea mays indentata, having yellow or white kernels that become indented as they ripen.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent corn¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

"It's made from what we call 'industrial dent corn'. So it's not like sweetcorn that's used for human consumption. It's specifically grown for things like materials, or to go into paper, or for animal feed."

From BBC

Polenta is made from flint corn, which is coarser and holds a firmer texture, while grits are made from dent corn, which produces a finer consistency.

From Seattle Times

Across the hemisphere, heirloom lines of corn have dwindled or died out as more productive but far less flavorful dent corn strains came into favor, particularly on large-scale farms.

From New York Times

Crop progress reports from the federal Farm Service Agency generally say there are about 96 million acres planted in dent corn, compared with about 300,000 acres of popcorn annually.

From Washington Post

My planting plan this year includes a long row of dent corn that grows to eight feet and higher.

From Washington Post