powder

¹ American  

[pou-der] / ˈpaʊ dər /

noun

1. any solid substance reduced to a state of fine, loose particles by crushing, grinding, disintegration, etc.

2. a preparation in this form, as gunpowder or face powder.

3. Skiing. Also loose, usually fresh snow that is not granular, wet, or packed.

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verb (used with object)

1. to reduce to powder; pulverize.

2. to sprinkle or cover with powder.

   She powdered the cookies with confectioners' sugar.

3. to apply powder to (the face, skin, etc.) as a cosmetic.

4. to sprinkle or strew as if with powder.

   A light snowfall powdered the landscape.

5. to ornament in this fashion, as with small objects scattered over a surface.

   a dress lightly powdered with sequins.

verb (used without object)

1. to use powder as a cosmetic.

2. to become pulverized.

powder ² American  

[pou-der] / ˈpaʊ dər /

verb (used without object)

1. British Dialect. to rush.

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noun

1. British Dialect. a sudden, frantic, or impulsive rush.

idioms

1. take a powder, to leave in a hurry; depart without taking leave, as to avoid something unpleasant: Also take a runout powder.

   He took a powder and left his mother to worry about his gambling debts.

powder British  

/ ˈpaʊdə /

noun

1. a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles

2. any of various preparations in this form, such as gunpowder, face powder, or soap powder

3. fresh loose snow, esp when considered as skiing terrain

4. slang to run away or disappear

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verb

1. to turn into powder; pulverize

2. (tr) to cover or sprinkle with or as if with powder

powder More Idioms  

1. see keep one's powder dry; sitting on a powder keg; take a powder.

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Other Word Forms

• powderer
  noun
• powdery
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of powder¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun poudre, pouder, from Old French poudre, pouldre, from Latin pulver- (stem of pulvis ) “dust, powder”; akin to pollen; the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of powder²

First recorded in 1625–35; origin uncertain

Explanation

Powder is a loose substance made up of extremely tiny, dry, solid grains. Think of the baking powder and cocoa powder you use when you make your famous chocolate layer cake. Powder is usually made by grinding a hard material until it's the consistency of flour, fine sand, or light snow — in fact, freshly fallen, fluffy snow is often called powder. There's a fine line between a grain and a powder, but generally powders have the characteristic of clumping together, while grains are more loose and separate. When you powder something, you apply powder to it. The Latin root, pulverem, means "dust."

Example Sentences

The recall is based on California Dairies, Inc. recalling dry milk powder.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Inside, time seemed to move differently: tennis whites drying beneath the afternoon sun, bridge rooms carrying the faint smell of cigarettes and talcum powder, elderly members reading newspapers beneath slow ceiling fans.

From BBC • May 25, 2026

Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano and cayenne.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

But the noise of the Bangkok crowd and trying to find his grip powder in his bag during the final match had hurt Antonsen's focus.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Then again, we made milk powder on the Ranch from our goats’ milk, so that has to be what “evaporated milk” is, right?

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• crumb
• dust