noun

1. a white, tasteless, odorless food substance found in potatoes, rice, corn, wheat, cassava, and many other vegetable foods: it is a granular solid, chemically a complex carbohydrate, (CHO), and is used in adhesives, sizes, foods, cosmetics, medicine, etc.
2. a powdered form of this, used in laundering for stiffening cloth, fabrics, etc.
3. starchy foods
4. formal, unbending manner or behavior; stiffness
5. ☆ Informal energy; vigor

Etymology: ME starche < sterchen, to stiffen < OE *stercan < stearc, rigid, stiff, akin to Ger stark, strong: see stark

transitive verb