adjective
floury
FLOW-uh-ree
Floury (adjective) means resembling flour in texture or appearance. Example: “The old bread had gone dry and floury inside.”
adjective
1
Resembling flour in texture or appearance.
"The old bread had gone dry and floury inside."
"A ripe pear can turn slightly floury near the core."
"The powder had a fine, floury feel between her fingers."
2
Covered or dusted with flour.
"The baker left floury handprints all over the counter."
"She rolled the dough out on a floury surface."
"His apron was floury by the end of the shift."
3
Of a potato, high in starch and inclined to break apart easily when cooked.
"Floury potatoes make the fluffiest mashed potato."
"Maris Piper is a popular floury variety for roasting."
"A floury potato falls apart if you boil it too long."
How to use floury
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFloury means dusted with flour, or having a texture like flour.
When to use it
It is an everyday word, equally at home in cooking instructions and casual description.
Memory tip
In some accents floury and flowery sound identical, so rely on context or spelling to tell them apart.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
floury hands
floury surface
floury potatoes
floury texture
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like floury.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old bread had gone dry and _____ inside.
Etymology
From the Middle English word floury, formed from flour with the suffix -y. It developed alongside flowery, which shares the same roots.
Antonyms
unfloury
waxy
Related words
Rhymes for floury
See all rhymes for floury →Frequently asked questions
What does floury mean?
Floury describes something that resembles flour in texture, or is dusted or covered with flour.
What does a floury potato mean?
A floury potato is high in starch and tends to break down easily when cooked, which makes it good for mashing or roasting.
What is the opposite of a floury potato?
A waxy potato, which holds its shape when cooked rather than breaking apart.
What is the meaning of floury?
"floury" (adjective) means resembling flour in texture or appearance.
