starch

American  

[stahrch] / stɑrtʃ /

noun

1. a white, tasteless, solid carbohydrate, (C 6 H 1 0 O5 ) 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.

2. a commercial preparation of this substance used to stiffen textile fabrics in laundering.

3. starches, foods rich in natural starch.

4. stiffness or formality, as of manner.

   He is so full of starch he can't relax.

5. Informal. physical or mental energy; vigor.

   Synonyms:

   boldness, stamina, energy

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verb (used with object)

starches, present (3rd person singular) starched, past participle, past starching present participle

1. to stiffen or treat with starch.

2. to make stiff or rigidly formal (sometimes followed byup ).

starch British  

/ stɑːtʃ /

noun

1. a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectin

2. Also called: amylum.  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

3. any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes

4. stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct

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verb

1. (tr) to stiffen with or soak in starch

adjective

1. (of a person) formal; stiff

starch Scientific  

/ stärch /

1. 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.

2. Any of various substances, including natural starch, used to stiffen fabrics.

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starch Idioms  

1. see take the starch out of.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• starchlike
  adjective
• overstarch
  verb (used with object)
• starcher
  noun
• starchless
  adjective
• overstarched
  adjective
• unstarched
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have starched
  perfect
• has starched
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are starching
  progressive
• am starching
  progressive 1st person singular
• have been starching
  perfect progressive
• starching
  participle
• has been starching
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• is starching
  progressive 3rd person singular
• starches
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had starched
  perfect
• were starching
  progressive plural
• was starching
  progressive singular
• had been starching
  perfect progressive
• starched
  simple
• starched
  participle

Future

• will starch
  simple
• will have starched
  perfect
• will be starching
  progressive
• will have been starching
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of starch

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English (verb) sterchen originally, “to stiffen,” Old English stercean “to make stiff, strengthen,” derivative of stearc “stiff, firm”; cognate with German stärken “to strengthen”; see origin at stark

Explanation

Starch is the stuff that makes your shirt collar look crisp and fresh. It's also the complex carbohydrate that potatoes and rice — foods that are called starches — have lots of. Starch can also be a verb. You can starch your shirt by adding starch, which is a white powder, to the rinse water. You can also get the kind of starch that comes as a spray, which you squirt on your shirt while you're ironing it. Cornstarch, which is also a white powder, is used to thicken sauces or make egg whites stand in stiff peaks when you beat them.

Example Sentences

Fermentation is a biological process whereby organisms convert carbohydrates like starch or sugar into substances like alcohol, without using oxygen.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Using that tech, MOA Foodtech discovered the best microorganisms to make use of the leftover starch and fibre in the pea protein industry.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

By comparison, fruit stored at 30°C showed early thinning of cell walls, starch depletion, and eventual cell collapse.

From Science Daily • May 23, 2026

So while tuna, coconut, chili and starch remain the major food groups on local islands, the fridges at private island resorts more closely resemble those of Michelin-starred establishments, anywhere from London to Hong Kong.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2025

I put the edge of the collar into my mouth and sucked the starch away.

From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl

Related Words

• carbohydrate
• sugar