cornstarch

American

[kawrn-stahrch] / ˈkɔrnˌstɑrtʃ /

noun

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

cornstarch British

/ ˈkɔːnˌstɑːtʃ /

noun

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

"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 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

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

Kenvue no longer sells talc-containing powder and uses cornstarch instead.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2025

The pie's filling consists of sliced rhubarb and strawberries cooked in granulated sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and a pinch of fine sea salt.

From Salon • May 23, 2025

The company discontinued mineral-based talc in North America in 2020 - and followed suit in the UK last year - replacing it with cornstarch.

From BBC • Nov. 20, 2024

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

She tasted again the Argo cornstarch and felt the marvelous biting and crunching it allowed her.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

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