Botanically speaking, corn is a caryopsis, or dry fruit — popularly known as a grain. The seed bearing part is a "fruit". Corn (Maize) is clearly a cereal grain, and not any of the other things you mention.Even the farmers and agricultural agencies consider it a grain - it's one of the "official grains of Canada" and regulated by the Canadian grain commission.. Grain: Grains are small, hard, dry seeds produced by grain crops, such as wheat, rice, maize, soybeans and corn, among others. Its nutrient content differs from dry corn, and it is eaten in different ways -- often on the cob, as a side dish, or mixed with other vegetables. On the other hand, fresh corn (e.g., corn on the cob, frozen corn kernels) is harvested when it is soft and has kernels full of liquid. People with diabetes should monitor and set a daily limit for carb consumption. Is Corn a Fruit? No plant is a "fruit" per se. Dr. Pritts allowed that corn, like a tomato, is eaten like a vegetable, “so to a normal, everyday person, it’s a vegetable.” Mr. Connor’s horticultural knowledge swayed a few of his colleagues, but not enough. Maize (/ m eɪ z / MAYZ; Zea mays subsp. Fresh corn is considered a starchy vegetable. Corn kernels are seeds when dry which technically makes it a fruit where the corn cob acts like an ovary. Native Americans taught European colonists to grow the indigenous grains, and, since its introduction into Europe by Christopher Columbus and other explorers, corn has spread to all areas of the world suitable to its cultivation. The kernel of corn has a pericarp of the fruit fused with the seed coat. *****EDIT***** A lot of people here are using terminology very loosely. It’s an age-old question considering corn — a.k.a. Corn is a type of caryopsis and the structural fusion of the outer layer and the seeds. More specifically, corn is a caryopsis, which is a type of fruit in which the pericarp (that’s the fleshy bit, like the part of a peach that you eat) and seed coat are fused tightly. It's also high in carbohydrates. Cereals and legumes are the two primary types of grains. This classification also broadly includes fruits and flowers, so while every fruit is a vegetable, not every vegetable is technically a fruit. However, prior to this stage, corn is in its milky form which is a non-edible thing. What is corn? While it depends on who you ask, there’s case for each camp: grain, vegetable, and yep, even fruit. But certain types of corn like Zea mays have a grass family as their ancestor which makes corn a grain. Your question asked about corn-- the plant. mays, from Spanish: maíz after Taino: mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Caryopsis plants don’t have that extra fleshy layer, which characterizes most fruits, so corn’s ears don’t look like other commercial fruits we know. A peach tree is a fruiting tree. maize — is an approximately 10,000-years-old crop. Corn is a source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Botanically speaking, corn is a fruit … Corn was first domesticated by native peoples in Mexico about 10,000 years ago.