starchy

American  

[stahr-chee] / ˈstɑr tʃi /

adjective

starchier, starchiest

1. of, relating to, or of the nature of starch.

2. containing starch.

3. stiffened with starch.

4. stiff and formal, as in manner.

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starchy British  

/ ˈstɑːtʃɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or containing starch

   starchy foods

2. extremely formal, stiff, or conventional

   a starchy manner

3. stiffened with starch

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Other Word Forms

• starchily adverb
• starchiness noun

Etymology

Origin of starchy

First recorded in 1795–1805; starch + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Tossed with pasta, egg, cheese, and a little of the starchy cooking water, they became a mushroom carbonara—rich, smoky, and deeply satisfying.

From Salon

The starchy pasta water, slowly whisked in, binds it all into a sauce that clings and stretches, tugging at each bite with just enough tension to remind you that this is pasta, not soup.

From Salon

Mr. Dowling is a discerning and sympathetic, if occasionally starchy, guide through Shepard’s oeuvre.

From The Wall Street Journal

Another starchy favorite is the mashed sweet potatoes with toasted marshmallows.

From Salon

There’s also a bowl of fufu—starchy dough that Ama used to make for holidays—and a few trays of chofi, fried turkey tail that my uncle always seems to overcook.

From Literature

Related Words

• stuffy