hominy

noun

hom·​i·​ny ˈhä-mə-nē How to pronounce hominy (audio)
: kernels of corn that have been soaked in a caustic solution (as of lye) and then washed to remove the hulls

Examples of hominy in a Sentence

We had pork and hominy stew.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With shredded chicken and white-corn hominy floating in a stock flavored with poblano and jalapeño peppers and plenty of cilantro, this stew needs to be on the menu. — Christopher Michel, Country Living, 2 Feb. 2023 For the uninitiated, this peppery soup is made with a red chili pepper base and teems with tripe and hominy and garnished with diced onions, fresh herbs — watch for oregano stems! — Mara Severin, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Feb. 2021 Mornings are busiest, when families cycle in and out to pick up their orders of goat birria and cups filled with consomé or menudo, a spicy soup made with hominy and tripe. — Associate Restaurant Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Mar. 2022 Everyone at my table was pleased with the pozole blanco, a traditional pork and hominy stew seasoned with onion, garlic, oregano and thyme. — New York Times, 20 Apr. 2020 See All Example Sentences for hominy

Word History

Etymology

Virginia Algonquian -homen, literally, that treated (in the way specified)

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hominy was in 1629

Phrases Containing hominy

Rhymes for hominy

See All Rhymes for hominy

Browse Nearby Words

hominoid
hominy
hominy grits
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Cite this Entry

“Hominy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hominy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hominy

noun
hom·​i·​ny ˈhäm-ə-nē How to pronounce hominy (audio)
: kernels of dried corn from which the hulls have been removed by soaking and boiling in water containing lye

More from Merriam-Webster on hominy

Nglish: Translation of hominy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hominy

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