corm

[kawrm]

noun

Botany.

1. an enlarged, fleshy, bulblike base of a stem, as in the crocus.

corm

/ kɔːm /

noun

1. an organ of vegetative reproduction in plants such as the crocus, consisting of a globular stem base swollen with food and surrounded by papery scale leaves Compare bulb

corm

1. A fleshy underground stem that is similar to a bulb but stores its food as stem tissue and has fewer and thinner leaflike scales. The crocus and gladiolus produce new shoots from corms.

2. Compare bulb rhizome runner tuber

Other Word Forms

• cormous adjective
• cormlike adjective
• cormoid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of corm¹

1820–30; < New Latin cormus < Greek kormós a tree trunk with boughs lopped off, akin to keírein to cut off, hew

Word History and Origins

Origin of corm¹

C19: from New Latin cormus, from Greek kormos tree trunk from which the branches have been lopped

Example Sentences

The Huntington shares pollen and corms of the corpse flower with other botanical gardens, distributing hundreds of specimens to maintain genetic diversity, discourage poaching and strengthen conservation networks.

From Los Angeles Times

Anemone corms look like a wrinkled acorn, while ranunculus corms resemble a tiny, shriveled octopus — neither appears very promising.

From Seattle Times

It all starts with the planting of corms, which look like bulbs.

From BBC

Colchicum corms contain colchicine, a powerful alkaloid that’s been used in pharmaceuticals for years.

From Seattle Times

Provided that you can keep squirrels from devouring the newly planted corms, all crocus are long-lasting once established and readily multiply.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• corn