cornstarch

American  

[kawrn-stahrch] / ˈkɔrnˌstɑrtʃ /

noun

1. a starch or a starchy flour made from corn and used for thickening gravies and sauces, making puddings, etc.

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cornstarch British  

/ ˈkɔːnˌstɑːtʃ /

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): cornflour.  a fine starchy maize flour, used esp for thickening sauces

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Etymology

Origin of cornstarch

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; corn ¹ + starch

Compare meaning

How does cornstarch compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cornmeal vs. cornstarch

Example Sentences

Other ingredients include salt, monosodium glutamate, cornstarch and beta carotene for color.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

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

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

Hall, then 24, had originally set out to create the world’s most comfortable chair, filling a plastic sack with gelatin and then cornstarch with disappointing results.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 23, 2024

I read that you should not use cornstarch as a talc replacement because it feeds the fungus.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2024

It dries to a fine, superwhite powder— cornstarch.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan