starch-inert
|starch-in-ert|
🇺🇸
/stɑrtʃ ɪˈnɜrt/
🇬🇧
/stɑːtʃ ɪˈnɜːt/
not affected by starch
Etymology
'starch-inert' originates from modern English, specifically the compound of the words 'starch' and 'inert', where 'starch' referred to the substance used for stiffening and 'inert' meant 'inactive' or 'not reactive'.
'starch' comes from Old English 'stearc' (Middle English 'starch'), originally linked to stiffness and the stiffening substance; 'inert' entered English via French 'inerte' from Latin 'iners' meaning 'idle' or 'inactive'. The compound 'starch-inert' is a modern English formation combining these elements to describe materials that do not react with starch.
Initially, 'starch' referred primarily to the stiffening substance and 'inert' meant 'inactive'; over time the compound came to mean 'not reacting with or affected by starch' in technical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the quality or state of being starch-inert; lack of reaction or interaction with starch (derived noun form of 'starch-inert').
Starch-inertness is a desirable property for some medical textiles to avoid unwanted residues.
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Adjective 1
not chemically or functionally affected by starch; showing no reaction or interaction with starch (used especially in materials, textiles, or chemical contexts).
The coating makes the fabric starch-inert, preventing residue or stiffening after laundering.
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Last updated: 2025/10/14 15:59