barbe di mais
In Italian, corn silk is barbe di mais.
While barbe di mais is the most common term, you may also encounter seta di mais in botanical or culinary contexts.
Meaning: Translations (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase barbe di mais literally translates to beards of corn, where barbe means beards and mais means corn.
Which one should you use?
Barbe di mais is the standard term, while seta di mais is more common in botanical or culinary settings. For a more colloquial approach, you can use capelli di granturco. The phrase seta del mais is the formal way to refer to it.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form barbe di mais is the standard way to refer to the silk found on an ear of corn. However, the singular form barba di mais can be used to refer to the substance in a general or uncountable sense.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the colloquial term capelli di granturco literally translates to 'hair of the giant turkey'.
- The Italian term granturco for corn is a compound of grande and turco, reflecting the historical belief that the grain originated in Turkey.
- While barbe di mais refers to the filaments, the word barba is also used in Italian to describe the rough, white fuzz on a peach or a peach's skin.
Examples in context
- Hai mai visto i capelli di granturco? Sembrano così morbidi!Have you ever seen corn silk? It looks so soft!
- Le barbe di mais sono molto sottili.The corn silk is very thin.
- Devi rimuovere le barbe di mais dal chicco.You have to remove the corn silk from the kernel.
- Ho usato le barbe di mais per un tè.I used the corn silk for a tea.
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are preparing vegetables for dinner.
- MartinaLorenzo, mi aiuti a pulire il mais?Lorenzo, can you help me clean the corn?
- LorenzoCerto, devo togliere le barbe di mais?Sure, should I remove the corn silk?
- MartinaSì, toglile tutte con cura.Yes, remove them all carefully.
- LorenzoFatto, ora è perfetto.Done, now it is perfect.
