flours

IPA/flaʊər/
KK[flˈaʊɚz]IPA/ˈflaʊ.ɚ/

flours — noun

1. a soft, fine powder produced by grinding cereal grains such as wheat, rice, or c

1.nounB1
Definition

a soft, fine powder produced by grinding cereal grains such as wheat, rice, or corn; used as a basic building ingredient in baking bread, cakes, biscuits, and pastries.

Example

Tariq mixed the flour with eggs and sugar to make the cake batter.

flour + verb: mixed with eggs and sugar for batter

Naoko dusted a light layer of flour over the counter before rolling out the dough.

collocation: dust / layer of flour before rolling dough

Common collocations
  • wheat flour
  • plain flour
  • self-raising flour
  • all-purpose flour
  • sifted flour
  • cup of flour
  • bag of flour
  • dust with flour
  • weigh the flour
Synonyms
  • meal

    coarser grind — cornmeal is gritty, not a fine powder like flour

  • farina

    a cooked breakfast cereal made from wheat flour; rarer and more specific

Grammar Patterns

flour for [baking/cooking]

made from/with flour

Usage Note

Uncountable — you cannot say 'a flour' in this sense. Use 'a bag of flour', 'a cup of flour', or 'some flour' instead.

Common Mistakes

I bought a flour from the shop.
I bought a bag of flour from the shop.
Flour is uncountable; you need a container or amount word.
She used corn flour for the bread.' (when you mean cornmeal).
She used cornflour to thicken the sauce.
Corn flour (BrE) is a fine starch; cornmeal is coarser.

2. a powdery substance obtained by grinding the seeds, roots, or tubers of non-cere

2.nounB2
Definition

a powdery substance obtained by grinding the seeds, roots, or tubers of non-cereal plants such as potatoes, cassava, or chickpeas, used mainly as a thickener for sauces or an ingredient in flatbreads.

Example

Mira used chickpea flour to make a savoury pancake for dinner.

type: chickpea flour; use: savoury pancake

Nala stirred a spoonful of potato flour into the simmering soup to thicken it.

use: thicken soup with potato flour

Common collocations
  • potato flour
  • rice flour
  • cassava flour
  • chickpea flour
  • tapioca flour
  • arrowroot flour
  • thicken with flour
Synonyms
  • starch

    often used interchangeably with plant-based flours, though starch is the extracted pure carbohydrate while flour includes fibre and protein

Grammar Patterns

[type] flour

flour made from [plant]

Usage Note

Often specified by the plant source (potato flour, tapioca flour) because the generic term 'flour' alone implies wheat flour in most English-speaking kitchens.

Common Mistakes

I need flour for the cake' (but mean wheat flour).
I need wheat flour for the cake.
In baking, 'flour' alone means wheat; other types must be named.

flours — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Flour is a fine powder made by grinding cereal grains, especially wheat, and is the main structural ingredient in baking thanks to its gluten-forming proteins. Meal is ground more coarsely — cornmeal feels gritty compared to smooth flour, and it is not suitable for the same baked goods. Starch is a pure carbohydrate extracted from plants such as corn or potatoes; it thickens sauces but lacks the protein needed for dough that rises. Powder is a very broad term that covers any substance reduced to fine particles — face powder, curry powder, and washing powder are all powders, but none of them is flour. In a kitchen context, 'flour' without a qualifier means wheat flour; anything else must be specified (rice flour, almond flour, etc.).

flour ↗meal ↗starch ↗powder ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dust of flour
  • flour and water
  • flour and butter

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'flour' comes from Middle English 'flour', which was the same word as 'flower'. In Old French, 'flor' meant both 'flower' and 'the finest part' of something. Grain that had been finely ground was considered 'the flower of the wheat' — the best part. Over time, the cooking sense separated in spelling, but the connection to 'flower' remains visible in the word 'flourish' (to grow well).

First known use

13th century

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb