definitions

starch

[ stahrch ]
/ stɑrtʃ /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR starch ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

verb (used with object)

to stiffen or treat with starch.
to make stiff or rigidly formal (sometimes followed by up).

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RELATED WORDS

carbohydrate, sugar, sizing, polysaccharide, glycogen, ceremony, decorum, formality, stiffness, vigor, boldness, energy, pluck, stamina, vitality, strength, gumption, backbone, drive, push

Nearby words

star-struck, star-studded, stara zagora, starboard, starburst, starch, starch blocker, starch syrup, starch-reduced, starched, starchy

Origin of starch

1375–1425; (v.) late Middle English sterchen orig., to stiffen, Old English stercean to make stiff, strengthen, derivative of stearc stark; cognate with German stärken to strengthen; (noun) late Middle English starch(e), sterche, derivative of the v.

Related forms

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for starch

British Dictionary definitions for starch

starch

/ (stɑːtʃ) /

noun

a polysaccharide composed of glucose units that occurs widely in plant tissues in the form of storage granules, consisting of amylose and amylopectinRelated adjective: amylaceous
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
any food containing a large amount of starch, such as rice and potatoes
stiff or pompous formality of manner or conduct

verb

(tr) to stiffen with or soak in starch

adjective

(of a person) formal; stiff

Derived Forms

starcher, nounstarchlike, adjective

Word Origin for starch

Old English stercan (unattested except by the past participle sterced) to stiffen; related to Old Saxon sterkian, Old High German sterken to strengthen, Dutch sterken; see stark
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

Medicine definitions for starch

starch

[ stärch ]

n.

A naturally abundant nutrient carbohydrate found chiefly in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, and commonly prepared as a white, amorphous, tasteless powder used in powders, ointments, and pastes.amylum
A food having a high content of starch, such as rice, bread, and potatoes.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for starch

starch

[ stärch ]

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.
Any of various substances, including natural starch, used to stiffen fabrics.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with starch

starch

see take the starch out of.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.