floury

Floury is an English adjective derived from flour. It describes substances that contain flour, are dusted with flour, or have the texture or appearance associated with flour. In everyday language it can refer to foods prepared with flour or surfaces after handling flour, such as a dough that is lightly coated with flour or a batter with a powdery surface.

In potato classification, floury potatoes are varieties with high starch content and a dry, mealy crumb when cooked; they are favored for mashing, baking, and roasting because they produce a light, fluffy texture. The term helps distinguish these varieties from waxy potatoes, which have a moist, creamy interior.

In cereal science and botany, floury describes kernels or endosperm that are soft and mealy rather than hard and vitreous. This usage helps distinguish starch distribution and milling behavior in crops such as wheat and maize, and it can influence classifications of grain quality and processing methods.

Usage of the term is more common in technical or culinary contexts than in ordinary speech. Etymologically, floury stems from flour, with the -y suffix forming an adjective, and it is typically used in combination with nouns such as texture, surface, or potato.

See also: powdery, mealy, starchy, vitreous.