corm

From scientific Latin cormus, from Ancient Greek κορμός (kormós, “trunk stripped of its boughs”).

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)m

corm (plural corms)

1. A short, vertical, swollen, underground stem of a plant (usually one of the monocots) that serves as a storage organ to enable the plant to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as drought.
   • 2002, Victoria Finlay, Colour, Sceptre, published 2003, page 268:

     The saffron crocus has to be planted by hand from corms.

• Comr.

Borrowed from French corme.

corm n (uncountable)

1. corm