Fine flour or meal, especially the starchy substance obtained from potatoes, arrowroot, or other plant sources.
From French 'farine,' which comes from Latin 'farina' (flour, meal). This word maintained its form and meaning as it moved from Latin through French into English.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, farine was the trendy powdered ingredient for making everything from puddings to fancy sauces—it was basically the cornstarch of the aristocratic kitchen!
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