Pronunciation: [kˈɔːm] (IPA) 
The word "corm" is spelled with the phonetic transcription /kɔːm/. The "c" is pronounced as a hard "k" sound, the "o" is an open "ɔ" sound, and the "r" is silent. The final "m" is pronounced as a voiced "m" sound. Corm refers to a small, rounded underground storage organ of some plants, such as the crocus or gladiolus. The spelling is important to know to avoid confusion with similarly spelled words like "corn" or "core".
A corm is a specialized underground stem structure found in certain plants. It is an enlarged, fleshy storage organ that functions to store nutrients and energy reserves to support the plant's growth and survival. Corms are typically rounded or oval-shaped, with a hard outer covering known as a tunic, which provides protection.
Unlike bulbs, which consist of layers of modified leaves, corms are solid and lack scales. They are composed of stem tissue and are packed with starches, proteins, and other nutrients that provide the necessary nourishment for the plant during periods of dormancy or when resources are scarce. The corm acts as a storage organ during unfavorable conditions and helps the plant to regenerate and continue its life cycle when conditions become favorable again.
Corms are found in various plant species, including flowering plants like crocuses, gladioli, and taros. They are usually formed underground, with the upper side of the corm producing buds or shoots, and the lower side growing roots. Some corms also have small buds, known as "eyes," which can give rise to new plants.
In horticulture, corms are valued for their ability to reproduce vegetatively. Gardeners often utilize corms as a means of propagation, separating and replanting them to produce new plants. Additionally, corms can be consumed by humans and animals, as some have edible parts that are an important source of nutrition and food.
The underground stem of certain plants, giving off leaves from the upper surface and rootlets from the lower; it is of bulbous shape, but differs from a tree bulb in being of solid, fleshy consistency and not composed of superposed leaves; called also solid bulb, especially when it is enclosed in two or three layers of broad leaves.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
In bot., a short, roundish, bulb-like underground stem, not formed of concentric layers, but solid, as in the crocus, gladiolus, &c.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "corm" has its roots in the Old English word "corma", which came from the Latin word "cormus" or "corrimus". This Latin term was derived from the Greek word "kormos", meaning a tree trunk or tree stump. The Greek word further traces its origins to the Proto-Indo-European root "*ker-", meaning to grow, which is also related to words like "create" and "increase". Over time, the meaning of "corm" shifted to refer specifically to the swollen underground stem of certain plants, such as the crocus or gladiolus.
