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teosinte

(tē′ō sin′tē)

noun

a tall, cornlike fodder grass (Zea mexicana) native to Mexico and Central America, having a tassel and small, hard ears: presumed to be the wild ancestor of maize

Origin: AmSp < Nahuatl teo∶sinλi, teo∶senλi, lit., divine maize < teo∶λ, god + sinλi, senλi, maize

See teosinte in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A tall Mexican and Central American annual plant (Zea mexicana) related to corn and cultivated for fodder.

Origin:

Origin: American Spanish

Origin: , from Nahuatl teocintli

Origin: : teōtl, sacred

Origin: + cintli, dried ear of corn

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