cornstarch

noun

corn·​starch ˈkȯrn-ˌstärch 

: starch made from corn and used in foods as a thickening agent, in making corn syrup and sugars, and in the manufacture of adhesives and sizes for paper and textiles

Examples of cornstarch in a Sentence

I used some cornstarch to thicken the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Her sky-high platform heels in cornstarch yellow gave drama! —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Sep. 2025

Sprinkle the stain with a thick layer (one-fourth inch) of cornstarch or talcum powder. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2025

Veith’s inspiration came while playing with his children and a mix of cornstarch and water called oobleck. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025

To make the filling, cut the peaches into wedges and toss in a large bowl with cornstarch, kosher salt, sugar, vanilla bean paste and bourbon (or lemon juice). —Caron Golden, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cornstarch

• arch
• march
• starch

Kids Definition

cornstarch

noun

corn·​starch -ˌstärch 

: a fine starch made from corn and used in foods for thickening, in making corn syrup and sugars, and in making adhesives and sizes for papers and textiles