Popcorn Meaning
/ˈpɒp.kɔːn/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA snack food made from corn or maize kernels popped by dry heating.
nounA serving of popcorn.
Sentence Examples
The more popcorn you eat, the more you want.
Pour melted butter over the popcorn.
CEFR Practice Quiz
My family enjoys eating a bowl of ____ while watching a movie.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They bought a large bucket of ____ to share while watching the film at the cinema.
Word Origin & History
Short for popped corn. By surface analysis, pop + corn.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Warner Bros has offered the two executives less than dollars 1m as an out-of-court settlement, a sum dismissed by Mr [Pierce] O'Donnell as 'two popcorns and two Cokes'."
— 1992 July 5, Phil Reeves, “Kerpow] Dynamic duo takes on Tinseltown”, in The Independent, London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Jul 2015:
"When we went to Astoria, to see 'Drive Me Crazy,' they gave you one popcorn and the other one was free. I asked her if she wanted to eat mine, but she said there was so much popcorn, she was going to get sick."
— 2000 January 7, Aaron Donovan, quoting Angel, “The Neediest Cases: A ‘Big Sister’ Is Filling a Void in a Young Girl’s Life”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 May 2015:
"Every Wednesday night is Date Night, and for $10 sweethearts can get two tickets, two popcorns and two sodas."
— 2006 July 13, Amanda Pennington, “A new wave for cineastes”, in Daily Pilot, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2025:
"Some popcorns silently flicked off like face peelings on his shoe."
— 1988, Jim Freedman, “I-ran Sucks”, in Drawing Heat, Windsor, Ont.: Black Moss Press, →ISBN, page 17:
"Don’t you feel this is nothing but throwing popcorns before a hungry elephant? This is definitely throwing popcorns before the hungry elephant. This is the imbalance that I wanted to pointed out."
— 1992 March 16, Shri Anbarasu Era, quotee, Lok Sabha Debates (English Version): Third Session (Tenth Lok Sabha), 10th series, volume IX, number 16, New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat, →OCLC, column 714:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
My family enjoys eating a bowl of ____ while watching a movie.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They bought a large bucket of ____ to share while watching the film at the cinema.