Synonyms

talcum powder

American

[tal-kuhm] / ˈtæl kəm /

noun

a powder made of purified, usually perfumed talc, for toilet purposes.

talcum powder British

/ ˈtælkəm /

noun

Often shortened to: talc. a powder made of purified talc, usually scented, used for perfuming the body and for absorbing excess moisture

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of talcum powder

1885–90; < Medieval Latin talcum talc

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The company, which now makes its talcum powder with cornstarch, has denied the allegations.

From BBC

Footage of the event showed several people trying to restrain the pair as they sprayed the stones with a mix of cornflour, talcum powder and orange dye.

From Barron's

Thousands of UK claimants have filed legal action against US pharmaceutical and cosmetics giant Johnson & Johnson alleging people diagnosed with cancers were exposed to asbestos in its talcum powder, lawyers said Thursday.

From Barron's

The claims of links between talcum powder and cancer revolve around asbestos - a known cause of cancer.

From BBC

At 19 he joined the Polka Tulk Blues Band, named after the brand of talcum powder favored by his mother.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023