broomcorn: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowSpecialist, Agricultural, Historical
Quick answer
What does “broomcorn” mean?
A type of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) grown primarily for its long, stiff panicles used to make brooms.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) grown primarily for its long, stiff panicles used to make brooms.
The material derived from the plant's seed heads used in brush and broom manufacturing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is largely archaic in both varieties but has slightly more historical recognition in American English due to 19th/early 20th-century cultivation in the US. The plant itself is not native to the British Isles.
Connotations
Historical, agricultural, rural craftsmanship. Evokes images of traditional broom-making.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary use. Primarily encountered in historical texts, agricultural studies, or discussions of traditional crafts.
Grammar
How to Use “broomcorn” in a Sentence
[Verb] broomcorn (e.g., cultivate, harvest)[Adjective] broomcorn (e.g., dried, cultivated)[Preposition] of broomcorn (e.g., a brush made of broomcorn)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “broomcorn” in a Sentence
verb
American English
- Few farms still broomcorn these days.
- They used to broomcorn across the southern plains.
adjective
American English
- He repaired the chair with a broomcorn seat.
- A broomcorn harvest festival was held.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in the context of niche agricultural supply or heritage crafts.
Academic
Used in botany, agricultural history, and material culture studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Precise botanical/agricultural term for a specific cultivar of Sorghum bicolor.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “broomcorn”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “broomcorn”
- Using it to refer to maize/corn stalks used for brooms.
- Using it as a general term for any plant used in brush-making.
- Treating it as a common noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Corn' here is used in its older sense meaning 'grain'. Broomcorn is a variety of sorghum, not maize (sweet corn).
It is not grown for food. While the plant is a sorghum, the broomcorn variety is cultivated for its stiff, fibrous seed panicles, not for grain quality.
Yes, but in very limited, niche contexts. It is used by traditional broom-makers and craft artisans, having been largely replaced by synthetic materials for mass-produced brooms.
Broomcorn is a specific cultivar of Sorghum bicolor selected for its long, strong, and brush-like seed panicles, whereas other sorghums are selected for grain, forage, or syrup production.
A type of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) grown primarily for its long, stiff panicles used to make brooms.
Broomcorn is usually specialist, agricultural, historical in register.
Broomcorn: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbruːmkɔːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbruːmkɔːrn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CORN that is grown to make a BROOM = BROOMCORN.
Conceptual Metaphor
MATERIAL FOR PURPOSE (The plant is conceptualised purely by the utility of its parts).
Practice
Quiz
What is broomcorn primarily cultivated for?