popcorn
Americannoun
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any of several varieties of corn whose kernels burst open and puff out when subjected to dry heat.
-
popped corn.
noun
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a variety of maize having hard pointed kernels that puff up when heated
-
the puffed edible kernels of this plant
Etymology
Origin of popcorn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Around the same time, popcorn was popping off, buoyed by a surge in American corn production and the snack’s popularity among soldiers.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
He said he always had an entrepreneurial flair, selling bubblegum and popcorn from his Samsonite briefcase at Jamaica High School.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
The package also includes comfortable box seating and light snacks like popcorn and macarons, plus the welcome perk of skipping the long entry lines.
From Salon • Mar. 7, 2026
Howe-Douglas added on Instagram: "You're going to need popcorn."
From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026
My shoulders clench and my popcorn kernel twitches as the anxiety level goes just a bit higher.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.