starch

1 of 2

verb

starched; starching; starches

transitive verb

: to stiffen with or as if with starch

starch

2 of 2

noun

1
: a white odorless tasteless granular or powdery complex carbohydrate (C6H10O5)x that is the chief storage form of carbohydrate in plants, is an important foodstuff, and is used also in adhesives and sizes, in laundering, and in pharmacy and medicine
2
: a stiff formal manner : formality
3
: resolute vigor

Examples of starch in a Sentence

Verb He starches the collars of his shirts. Noun a middle-aged woman who has retained the starch of youth
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The fabric, fully starched, would soar into the air and find its resting place on his cheeks. Melvin Backman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023 Try not to pull back the husk and expose the kernels though, as this only speeds up the corn drying out and converting its natural sugars to starch. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 10 Aug. 2023 Guevara’s grandmother starched and pressed his shirts. Cheryl Hall, Dallas News, 16 June 2023 His jeans were the color of Neptune and starched rigid. Hazlitt, 14 June 2023 Proponents of the drink, which is most commonly used in cooking, argue that drinking apple cider vinegar straight-up can do it all: alleviate acne, clear up dandruff, help heal sunburns, and even efficiently and effectively dry-clean your dress shirts and starch their collars (maybe). Melissa Matthews, Men's Health, 28 Feb. 2023 Why did the ghost starch his sheet? Julia Ludlam, Country Living, 20 July 2022 Far from being delicate, the process of hand laundering was taxing, requiring both outside contractors to dry clean and wet wash the clothes and owners to individually starch and then smooth the cotton shirts and beddings with 6-pound irons in air conditioner-less 90-degree weather. NBC news, 9 Oct. 2020 Some telltale signs were then identified on Raqefet stones: A roughly 10-inch diameter mortar, carved directly into the cave floor, had micro-scratches — probably from a wooden pestle — and starch with damage indicative of mashing, heating and fermenting, all steps in alcohol production. Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 24 Apr. 2020
Noun
Called Arborio rice, this short grain rice is unlike other rice varieties because of its high level of surface starch. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 On top of the 50 billion CFUs of probiotics, there's also a prebiotic fiber blend made of potato starch to help support the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. Shushy Rita Setrakian Ms, Verywell Health, 21 Feb. 2024 Potato starch can be found at Whole Foods stores and other retailers that carry Bob’s Red Mill brand products. Andrea Weigl, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Can be a mixture of anything from chickpea flour to tapioca flour to potato starch and more depending on the brand. Nina Lincoff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Arborio, or short grain rice has a high level of starch on the surface. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024 Food exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat. Bethany Thayer, Detroit Free Press, 17 Feb. 2024 The meal is ubiquitous across South Korea and beyond, often served alongside beer or soju, a clear, distilled Korean liquor made from rice and other starches. Irvin Zhang, Kansas City Star, 18 Jan. 2024 The starches are then converted to simple sugars, which completes the aging process. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'starch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sterchen, probably from Old English *stercan to stiffen; akin to Old English stearc stiff — more at stark

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of starch was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near starch

Cite this Entry

“Starch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/starch. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

starch

1 of 2 verb
: to stiffen with or as if with starch

starch

2 of 2 noun
1
: a white odorless tasteless carbohydrate that is the chief form in which carbohydrate is stored in plants, is an important food, and is used also in adhesives, in laundering, and in pharmacy and medicine
2
: a stiff formal manner : formality
3

Medical Definition

starch

noun
: a white odorless tasteless granular or powdery complex carbohydrate (C6H10O5)x that is the chief storage form of carbohydrate in plants, is an important foodstuff, has demulcent and absorbent properties, and is used in pharmacy especially as a dusting powder and as a constituent of ointments and pastes

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