starch
/stɑːtʃ/ · starch
noun
- A widely diffused vegetable substance found especially in seeds, bulbs, and tubers, extracted as a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. She sprinkled potato starch over the sauce to thicken it.
- In nutrition, the carbohydrate component of grain and potato‑based foods. A baked potato provides a good source of starch.
- A stiff, formal manner; formality. His speech was full of starch, lacking any warmth.
verb
- To apply or treat with laundry starch, creating a hard, smooth surface. She starches her shirts every Sunday to keep them crisp.
adjective
- Stiff; precise; rigid. He wore a starch‑white collar that stood up sharply.
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Did you know? Starch was first isolated by the ancient Egyptians, who used it as an adhesive for papyrus and as a binding agent in early paint recipes.