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mais

corn

noun MAH-ees Rare

Origin: From Spanish 'maíz', itself from Taíno 'mahiz'.

Also means

maize

Usage Note

Mais is invariable in the plural — il mais and i mais both refer to the grain. The Italian word granoturco is an older, more regional synonym. Mais entered Italian via Spanish and Portuguese colonial trade routes.

Examples

"La polenta è fatta di mais."

Natural Translation

Polenta is made from corn.

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