starch-dissolving
|starch-dis-solv-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈstɑrtʃ dɪˈzɑlvɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈstɑːtʃ dɪˈzɒlvɪŋ/
breaks down starch
Etymology
'starch-dissolving' is a compound formed from the noun 'starch' and the present-participle form 'dissolving' of the verb 'dissolve'.
'starch' originates from Old English 'stearc' (meaning 'stiff, strong') and evolved through Middle English to modern 'starch'; 'dissolve' comes from Latin 'dissolvere' (dis- 'apart' + solvere 'to loosen'), through Old French and Middle English to the modern verb 'dissolve'. The compound itself is a modern English descriptive compound formed by combining these elements.
Originally 'starch' referred to stiffness or rigidity and later came to denote the substance (the carbohydrate); 'dissolve' originally meant 'to loosen apart' and has retained the core sense of causing something to disperse or come apart. The compound now specifically denotes the action or capability of causing starch to break down or dissolve.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the process or action of dissolving starch; (in some contexts) an agent or enzyme that dissolves starch.
Starch-dissolving is essential in many food-processing steps where complex carbohydrates must be broken down.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
capable of dissolving or breaking down starch; relating to the chemical or enzymatic process that causes starch to dissolve or be hydrolyzed.
The starch-dissolving enzyme was added to the mixture to break down the starch in the sample.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/26 23:57