English Explanatory Dictionary

powder

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust.
  2. A mixture of fine dry, sweet-smelling particles applied to the face or other body parts, to reduce shine or to alleviate chaffing.
  3. An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder.
  4. Ellipsis of powder snow; light, dry, fluffy snow.
  5. Ellipsis of powder blue, a color.
verb
  1. To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder.
  2. To sprinkle with powder, or as if with powder.
  3. To use powder on the hair or skin.
  4. To turn into powder; to become powdery.
  5. To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat.
  6. To depart suddenly; to "take a powder".
name
  1. A surname.
name
  1. Acronym of Protocol for Web Description Resources.

Pronunciation

/ˈpaʊ.də(ɹ)/ /ˈpuː.dɐ/ /ˈpaʊ.dɚ/ en-us-powder.ogg

Word forms

powder powders powdre powdering powdered

Etymology

From Middle English poudre, pouder, pouldre, borrowed from Old French poudre, poldre, puldre, from Latin pulverem, accusative singular of Latin pulvis (“dust, powder”). Doublet of pulver. Compare pollen (“fine flour”), polverine, pulverize.

Synonyms

pound grind comminute pulverize triturate

Derived words

antimonial powder anti-shine powder Atlas powder baby powder baking powder bepowder black powder bleaching powder Bolivian marching powder bread powder brown powder champagne powder chili powder cocoa powder cold food powder Colombian marching powder corpse powder cryopowder cube powder curry powder custard powder denture powder Dover's powder dry powder dry powder inhaler face powder fever powder fingerprint powder five mineral powder five-spice powder flash powder flea-powder fly powder food for powder garlic powder giant powder Goa powder Goulard's powder Gregory's powder gunpowder gun powder hair powder inheritance powder insect powder itching powder James's powder jelly powder Jesuits' powder joy powder juvenile powder keep one's powder dry keep the powder dry kudzu powder love powder lycopodium powder marching powder milk powder nanopowder negro powder Neptune powder
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on P Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary