noun
Refers to the grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). In modern Japanese, it is most commonly encountered in the compound 玉蜀黍 (とうもろこし, corn/maize), but もろこし alone specifically means sorghum.
もろこしは乾燥に強い穀物です。
Sorghum is a drought-resistant grain.
この地域では、もろこしを粉にして食べる
In this region, there is a custom of grinding sorghum into flour and eating it.
とうもろこし means corn/maize, while もろこし alone refers to sorghum. The two are distinct grains, though the names are related.
The word もろこし is believed to derive from 唐 (morokoshi), an old name for China, suggesting the grain was introduced from China. The kanji 蜀黍 and 唐黍 reflect this origin, with 蜀 referring to Sichuan and 唐 to Tang China, and 黍 meaning millet.