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starch
[ stahrch ]
noun
- a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate, (C 6 H 1 0 O 5 ) n , occurring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of rice, corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods.
- a commercial preparation of this substance used to stiffen textile fabrics in laundering.
- starches, foods rich in natural starch.
- stiffness or formality, as of manner:
He is so full of starch he can't relax.
- Informal. physical or mental energy; vigor.
verb (used with object)
- to stiffen or treat with starch.
- to make stiff or rigidly formal (sometimes followed by up ).
starch
/ stɑːtʃ /
noun
- a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectin amylaceous
- Also calledamylum a starch obtained from potatoes and some grain: it is fine white powder that forms a translucent viscous solution on boiling with water and is used to stiffen fabric and in many industrial processes
- any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes
- stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct
verb
- tr to stiffen with or soak in starch
adjective
- (of a person) formal; stiff
starch
/ stärch /
- A carbohydrate that is the chief form of stored energy in plants, especially wheat, corn, rice, and potatoes. Starch is a mixture of two different polysaccharides built out of glucose units, and forms a white, tasteless powder when purified. It is an important source of nutrition and is also used to make adhesives, paper, and textiles.
- Any of various substances, including natural starch, used to stiffen fabrics.
Derived Forms
- ˈstarchˌlike, adjective
- ˈstarcher, noun
Other Words From
- starchless adjective
- starchlike adjective
- over·starch verb (used with object)
- over·starched adjective
- un·starched adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of starch1
Idioms and Phrases
see take the starch out of .Example Sentences
Their starch content is what makes risotto work.
The revamped fries don’t contain any of the nine major allergens, but do include pea starch in their coating.
But it's like mashed potatoes with the starch that has been taken out.
They help with emulsification because they contain starch, which interacts strongly with water and fat.
Lots of the healthy raw ingredients used in holiday foods can end up overshadowed by sugar and starch.
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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