flour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral; common in everyday, culinary, and instructional contexts.
Quick answer
What does “flour” mean?
A fine powder made by grinding grains, typically wheat, used for baking bread, cakes, etc.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fine powder made by grinding grains, typically wheat, used for baking bread, cakes, etc.
Any fine, soft powder; sometimes used metaphorically to describe something light and powdery (e.g., 'a flour of snow').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical. The word 'meal' (e.g., cornmeal) is sometimes used in similar contexts in the US for non-wheat grains. UK recipes more frequently specify 'plain flour' vs. US 'all-purpose flour'.
Connotations
Neutral in both. No significant cultural difference beyond specific product names (e.g., self-raising flour (UK) vs. self-rising flour (US)).
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties due to universal culinary use.
Grammar
How to Use “flour” in a Sentence
[verb] + flour (e.g., sift, add, mix)flour + [noun] (e.g., flour mill, flour bag)[prep] + flour (e.g., dust with flour, made from flour)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flour” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Flour the work surface lightly before kneading.
- The recipe says to flour the cake tin.
American English
- Flour the chicken before frying it.
- Make sure to flour the rolling pin.
adjective
British English
- A flour-coated board
- The flour sack was heavy.
American English
- A flour-dusted countertop
- The flour mixture should be smooth.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In commodities trading, agriculture, and food manufacturing.
Academic
In food science, nutritional studies, and historical agriculture.
Everyday
In cooking, baking, shopping, and recipe discussions.
Technical
Specifying protein content (e.g., 'high-gluten flour'), extraction rates, or milling processes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flour”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flour”
- Spelling: writing 'flower' instead of 'flour'.
- Usage: using as a countable noun (e.g., 'two flours').
- Article use: 'a flour' is incorrect for the substance.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's an uncountable (mass) noun. You can have 'some flour' or 'a bag of flour', but not 'a flour' or 'flours' (except when referring to different types: e.g., 'different flours like rye and spelt').
They are largely equivalent. 'Plain flour' (UK) and 'all-purpose flour' (US) both refer to wheat flour without a raising agent. UK 'strong flour' is similar to US 'bread flour' (higher protein).
Both words derive from different roots ('flour' from Old French 'fleure', meaning 'fine meal'; 'flower' from Latin 'flos') but went through similar sound changes in Middle English, merging in pronunciation.
Yes, it means to sprinkle or coat with flour (e.g., 'flour the baking tray'). It is less common than the noun form but standard in culinary instructions.
A fine powder made by grinding grains, typically wheat, used for baking bread, cakes, etc.
Flour is usually neutral; common in everyday, culinary, and instructional contexts. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Separate the wheat from the chaff (related concept of processing grain)”
- “As different as chalk and cheese (sometimes confused in homophone errors)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Flour is what you pour to make your cake rise for an hour. Remember: 'We need flour to make our power cakes.'
Conceptual Metaphor
Foundation / Base (e.g., 'flour is the foundation of the dough').
Practice
Quiz
What is the correct spelling for the baking ingredient?