n 1  :  any of various polysaccharides (as starch or cellulose)  2  :  a component of starch characterized by its straight chains of glucose units and by the tendency of its aqueous solutions to set to a stiff gel  3  :  any of various compounds (C₆H₁₀O₅)_x obtained by the hydrolysis of starch .
 
   
 
Similar sounding terms:  am·e·lus  am·y·lase 
 
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