starchy

[ stahr-chee ]

/ ˈstɑr tʃi /

See synonyms for starchy on Thesaurus.com

adjective, starch·i·er, starch·i·est.

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

containing starch.

stiffened with starch.

stiff and formal, as in manner.

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We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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Origin of starchy

First recorded in 1795–1805; starch + -y¹

OTHER WORDS FROM starchy

starch·i·ly, adverbstarch·i·ness, noun

Words nearby starchy

starch, Star Chamber, star chart, starch blocker, starch-reduced, starchy, star cloud, star cluster, star connection, star-crossed, star-crossed lovers

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for starchy

There are many versions of potato pancakes, and many ways to dress the starchy discs up or down.
Mouth-Watering Potato Pancakes|Jacquelynn D. Powers|December 1, 2010|DAILY BEAST
These men and women eat badly: cheap, starchy food; low-end meat; rarely any fresh fruit and vegetables.
The New Blue-Collar Hungry|Sasha Abramsky|November 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
It is the perfect, easy, healthy meal and almost any vegetable or starchy sides will work well with it.
The Original American Locavore|Sarah Whitman-Salkin|July 21, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Something that said, "Hey, I'm not just a starchy side dish, I'm a recipe in my own right, and I demand some respect!"
The Backyard Cookout Gets Stylish|Katie Workman|July 14, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Most starchy foods, such as cereals and potatoes and unripe fruit must, of course, be cooked in order to be made fit to eat.
How to Live|Irving Fisher and Eugene Fisk
The pancreas of the calf is not active on starchy materials.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II|Various
Cassava, manioca, tapioca, and sago are starchy materials in granular form.
Foods and Household Management|Helen Kinne
Of or like starch; consisting of or abounding in starch; starchy.
Cooley's Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades..., Sixth Edition, Volume I|Arnold Cooley
At first our wealth of food came with surprise and delight to us, for, in the absence of sweet or starchy foods, man craves fat.
My Attainment of the Pole|Frederick A. Cook

British Dictionary definitions for starchy

starchy

/ (ˈstɑːtʃɪ) /

adjective starchier or starchiest

of, relating to, or containing starchstarchy foods

extremely formal, stiff, or conventionala starchy manner

stiffened with starch

Derived forms of starchy

starchily, adverbstarchiness, noun

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

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WORD OF THE DAY

starchy

adjective, starch·i·er, starch·i·est.

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DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!

Origin of starchy

OTHER WORDS FROM starchy

Words nearby starchy

Example sentences from the Web for starchy

British Dictionary definitions for starchy

adjective starchier or starchiest

Derived forms of starchy

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

starchy

adjective, starch·i·er, starch·i·est.

QUIZZES

DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!

Origin of starchy

OTHER WORDS FROM starchy

Words nearby starchy

Words related to starchy

Example sentences from the Web for starchy

British Dictionary definitions for starchy

adjective starchier or starchiest

Derived forms of starchy