Starch vs. Powder — What's the Difference?

Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage.

A powder is a dry, bulk solid composed of many very fine particles that may flow freely when shaken or tilted. Powders are a special sub-class of granular materials, although the terms powder and granular are sometimes used to distinguish separate classes of material.

An odourless, tasteless white substance occurring widely in plant tissue and obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. It is a polysaccharide which functions as a carbohydrate store and is an important constituent of the human diet.

A substance consisting of ground, pulverized, or otherwise finely dispersed solid particles.

Powder or spray made from starch and used before ironing to stiffen fabric or clothing

Any of various preparations in the form of powder, as certain cosmetics and medicines.

Stiffness of manner or character

A dry explosive mixture, such as gunpowder.

Stiffen (fabric or clothing) with starch

Light dry snow.

(of a boxer) defeat (an opponent) by a knockout

To turn into or produce as a powder

A naturally abundant nutrient carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, found chiefly in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice, and varying widely in appearance according to source but commonly prepared as a white amorphous tasteless powder.

To put powder on

Any of various substances, such as natural starch, used to stiffen cloth, as in laundering.

To strew or ornament with small objects or flecks

Starches Foods having a high content of starch, as rice, breads, and potatoes.

The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.

Stiff behavior

(cosmetics) A mixture of fine dry, sweet-smelling particles applied to the face or other body parts, to reduce shine or to alleviate chaffing.

Vigor; mettle

An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder.

To stiffen with starch.

(informal) powder snow; light, dry, fluffy snow.

(uncountable) A widely diffused vegetable substance, found especially in seeds, bulbs and tubers, as extracted (e.g. from potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) in the form of a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. It is used as a food, in the production of commercial grape sugar, for stiffening linen in laundries, in making paste, etc.

Ellipsis of powder blue; the colour powder blue.

Carbohydrates, as with grain and potato based foods.

(transitive) To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder.

(uncountable) A stiff, formal manner; formality.

(transitive) To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder.

(uncountable) Fortitude.

(intransitive) To use powder on the hair or skin.

(countable) Any of various starch-like substances used as a laundry stiffener

(intransitive) To turn into powder; to become powdery.

To apply or treat with laundry starch, to create a hard, smooth surface.

To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat.

Stiff; precise; rigid.

To depart suddenly; to "take a powder".

Stiff; precise; rigid.

The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust.

A widely diffused vegetable substance found especially in seeds, bulbs, and tubers, and extracted (as from potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) as a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. It is used as a food, in the production of commercial grape sugar, for stiffening linen in laundries, in making paste, etc.

An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. See Gunpowder.

Fig.: A stiff, formal manner; formality.

To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder; to comminute; to pulverize; to triturate.

To stiffen with starch.

To sprinkle with powder, or as with powder; to be sprinkle; as, to powder the hair.

A complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice; an important foodstuff and used otherwise especially in adhesives and as fillers and stiffeners for paper and textiles

To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat.

Stiffen with starch;

To be reduced to powder; to become like powder; as, some salts powder easily.

To use powder on the hair or skin; as, she paints and powders.

A solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized

A mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur in a 75:15:10 ratio which is used in gunnery, time fuses, and fireworks

Any of various cosmetic or medical preparations dispensed in the form of a powder

Apply powder to;

Make into a powder by breaking up or cause to become dust;