Meanings
alternative kaffir · alternative kafir corn · alternative kafir
- uncountableSorghum cultivars (Sorghum bicolor vars.), used as a food for people and animals and in ethanol production.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounimportant for human and animal food; growth habit and stem form similar to Indian corn but having sawtooth-edged leaves
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
This name for sorghum is probably connected with both the distinction of Muslim versus non-Muslim and the distinction of sub-Saharan Black race versus other race; the history of usage of the word kaffir includes derogation, depending on time and place. For more information, see kaffir cabbage and see the Wikipedia article on kaffir as a racial term.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
kaffir corn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kaffir%20corn
“kaffir corn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kaffir%20corn. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kaffir corn,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kaffir%20corn.
Source: kaffir corn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.