/ ˈflaʊə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
[ U ] a fine white or brown powder made from grain, especially wheat , and used in cooking for making bread, cakes, etc.
—see also plain flour , self-raising flour
■ verb
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to cover sth with a layer of flour :
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : a specific use of flower in the sense the best part , used originally to mean the finest quality of ground wheat . The spelling flower remained in use alongside flour until the early 19th cent.