powdery

adjective

pow·​dery ˈpau̇-də-rē 

1

a

: resembling or consisting of powder

powdery snow

b

: easily reduced to powder : crumbling

2

: covered with or as if with powder

Synonyms of powdery

• dusty
• fine

Examples of powdery in a Sentence

the beach's powdery white sand

We skied down the powdery slopes.

Recent Examples on the Web

The sprawling hillside property looks like a screensaver, with verdant gardens, private sea-view villas, and two powdery coves—Punta Bunga and Banyugan. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

More than half of the fine, gray, powdery residue is used each year to create concrete, drywall, or other industry applications. —ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026

Pollen is a fine, powdery substance produced by plants as part of their reproductive cycles. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026

Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that affects a wide range of plants, identifiable by white to gray powdery spots on plant surfaces. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing powdery

• powdery mildew

Kids Definition

powdery

adjective

pow·​dery ˈpau̇d-ə-rē 

1

a

: resembling or consisting of powder

b

: easily made into a powder : crumbly

2

: covered with or as if with powder : dusty