What does powdered mean?
Powdered means reduced to fine particles or presented in the form of powder. It is particularly familiar in culinary expressions such as powdered sugar, powdered milk, and powdered spices, but it also has technical uses, including powdered glass and powdered metal. The word can also mean covered or coated with powder, as in a surface that has been powdered lightly. As the past participle of powder, it describes either the material that has been turned into a powder or the action of applying powder to something. Its meaning is straightforward and largely nonfigurative, though expressions such as “powdered relations” or “powdered wit” can use the word metaphorically for a person who appears weak or ineffectual. In ordinary use, powdered signals a change in physical form: a solid substance has been crushed, ground, or otherwise reduced to particles small enough to be called a powder.
In the form of powder; reduced to fine particles, or covered with powder.
"She sprinkled powdered cinnamon over the apples."
The covering sense is less common than the “in the form of powder” sense.
The past tense and past participle of powder: to reduce something to powder or cover it with powder.
"The technician carefully powdered the surface before applying the coating."
In this form, powdered is usually used as a participle, either adjectivally or in constructions such as “the fruit was powdered.”
Powdered is the little grammatical workhorse of the kitchen: powdered sugar, powdered milk, and powdered spices all share a simple meaning reduced to fine particles.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does powdered come from?
The underlying word powder comes through Old French poudre from Latin pulvis, meaning “dust.” The Latin root also appears in English words such as pulverize and pulverous. The adjective powdered developed as the past participle and adjectival form of powder and later became especially common in compound terms describing substances supplied in finely divided form.
Related word forms
How powdered is actually used
The adjective is especially common in culinary and technical contexts. When used as the past participle of the verb powder, it can describe an ingredient that has been reduced to or coated with fine particles.
Easily confused with powdered
Powdered is the past participle of powder, whereas power is a noun or verb meaning authority, strength, or the ability to act.