flour

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noun \ ˈflau̇(-ə)r \

Definition of flour

1 :a product consisting of finely milled wheat; also :a similar product made from another grain or food product (such as dried potatoes or fish)

2 :a fine soft powder

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flourless

adjective

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floury

play \ˈflau̇(-ə)r-ē\ adjective

See flour defined for English-language learners

See flour defined for kids

Examples of flour in a Sentence

a five-pound bag of flour
mix the two flours together

Recent Examples of flour from the Web

Armed with quality flour and yeast, the city’s bakers are reviving old-world traditions by slow-fermenting, hand-rolling, and kettle-boiling their way to enlightenment.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "These 6 Bakers Are Saving L.A.’s Bagel Reputation," 30 Aug. 2017
Every year, more and more are leaving their small camps to work in nearby villages, and aid agencies active in the area are distributing nonnative foods like wheat flour and corn.

— michael price, Science | AAAS, "Early human gut bacteria may have cycled with the season," 24 Aug. 2017
The company’s brands like Mission tortillas and Maseca flour are now staples for shoppers in America as well as Mexico.

— justin villamil, Bloomberg.com, "The Real-Life Telenovela About a $2.4 Billion Tortilla Fortune," 26 July 2017
Wafers made from other substances—like rice, tapioca, or potato flour—are not permitted.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Vatican Vetoes Gluten-Free Communion Wafers," 12 July 2017
For the streusel: ¼ cup flour ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1 tablespoon poppy seeds 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Cherry Poppy Seed Muffins," 11 July 2017
Her gluten-free brownies made with almond flour and dairy-free chocolate received second place.

— joe naiman, Ramona Sentinel, "Kim Newcomer wins Best of Division in county fair," 7 July 2017
Fried chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, pepper chicken gravy and cheddar cheese come tucked inside flour tortillas ($13) at LouVino, 8626 E. 116th St., in Fishers.

— liz biro, Indianapolis Star, "Where to get free chicken in Indianapolis on National Fried Chicken Day," 5 July 2017
Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with one tablespoon butter and dust with one tablespoon flour.

— nancy miller, The Courier-Journal, "Banana & Nutella recipe | Cuvee Wine Table," 4 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'flour.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of flour

Middle English — more at flower

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

Other Food Terms

Reuben, calamari, chuck, curry, edamame, foie gras, hummus, leaven, nonpareil, peel

flour

verb

Definition of flour

transitive verb

:to coat with or as if with flour

intransitive verb

:to break up into particles

See flour defined for English-language learners

Examples of flour in a Sentence

The fish should be lightly floured before it's fried.

Recent Examples of flour from the Web

Bake in 2 greased and floured nine-inch pans at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

— rebecca hancock, star-telegram.com, "Conquer your cake dilemma with these delectable choices," 20 June 2017
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.

— claire perez, Sun-Sentinel.com, "You Asked For It: Super moist and quick carrot cake," 2 June 2017
Clad in a long blonde wig and a nude bodysuit, Perry vacuum-packs herself like a chicken cutlet before being floured, seasoned, basted and served to hungry onlookers.

— andrea mandell, USA TODAY, "Katy Perry gets breaded, boiled in 'Bon Appetit' music video," 12 May 2017
Roll dough out lightly on floured surface into a generous round, about 11 inches in diameter.

— gretchen mckay, sacbee.com, "New cookbook ‘Onions Etcetera’ elevates the humble vegetable," 9 May 2017
Flour the top of the dough and roll it out to 1 ½ inches thick.

— jacqueline detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Cooking With Crickets Will Save the World. Here's How To Do It.," 3 May 2017

First Known Use of flour

circa 1657

FLOUR Defined for English Language Learners

flour

play

noun

Definition of flour for English Language Learners

: powder made from a grain (especially wheat) that is used in cooking for making bread, cakes, etc.

flour

verb

Definition of flour for English Language Learners

: to cover (something) with flour

FLOUR Defined for Kids

flour

play

noun \ ˈflau̇r \

Definition of flour for Students

:finely ground wheat or other food product

whole wheat flour

potato flour

Learn More about flour

See words that rhyme with flour Spanish Central: Translation of flour Nglish: Translation of flour for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of flour for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about flour

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flour

Definition of flour

flourless

floury

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Examples of flour in a Sentence

Recent Examples of flour from the Web

Origin and Etymology of flour

Other Food Terms

flour

Definition of flour

Examples of flour in a Sentence

Recent Examples of flour from the Web

First Known Use of flour

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FLOUR Defined for English Language Learners

flour

Definition of flour for English Language Learners

flour

Definition of flour for English Language Learners

FLOUR Defined for Kids

flour

Definition of flour for Students

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