: a rounded thick modified underground stem base bearing membranous or scaly leaves and buds and acting as a vegetative reproductive structure compare bulb, tuber

Examples of corm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Gladiola corms and dahlia tubers: Let the first frost cause dieback and then dig them. Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2023 This family's members are perennial plants with bulbs, corms, or rhizomes. Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 28 Aug. 2023 The Domes received a gift of a dormant corm — similar to a bulb or tuber — about 15 years ago from the University of Wisconsin and have since grown 10 corpse flower corms from the original. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 14 July 2023 If a corm lacks a point, look for the little root scars on the bottom of the corm and place them with that side facing down. Nicole Bradley, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2022 Look for the remnants of roots from last season, and place the corm root-side down in a hole so that the top of the corm is about an inch below the soil. Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 18 Mar. 2021 Flowers to start from seed: Dianthus, larkspur, stock, asters, nicotiana, cleome, annual ice plant, zinnia, salpiglossis, snaps, cosmos, lupine, malva. Tubers and corms: Start tuberous begonias and dahlias. Jeff Lowenfels | Alaska Gardening and Growing, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Mar. 2023 Cold, wet conditions make corms more likely to rot. oregonlive, 2 Apr. 2023 This cycle repeats for about 3 to 5 years before the original corm decays, leaving behind new bulbs to be planted. Aakash Hassan, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin cormus, borrowed from Greek kormós "tree trunk after removal of the boughs," from kor-, o-grade derivative from the base of keírein "to cut off, shave" + -mos, resultative noun suffix — more at shear entry 1

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of corm was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near corm

Cite this Entry

“Corm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corm. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

corm

noun
: a solid underground part of a stem (as of the crocus) that is shaped like a bulb compare bulb sense 1a, tuber sense 1

Medical Definition

corm

noun
: a rounded thick modified underground stem base bearing membranous or scaly leaves and buds and acting as a vegetative reproductive structure

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