Powder is any substance that's been ground, crushed, or processed into tiny, loose particles, like dust but usually more useful. Flour is powder made from grain. Baby powder helps prevent skin irritation. Cocoa powder turns into hot chocolate when you add hot milk. Gunpowder is a powder that burns explosively.

The texture of powder matters: it flows through your fingers, can be sprinkled or measured with spoons, and often dissolves or mixes easily with liquids. That's why so many medicines come as powders you mix with water, and why bakers prefer powdered sugar for making smooth frosting.

The word also means fresh, loose snow, the kind skiers love because it's soft and easy to carve through. When weather forecasters predict powder, skiers get excited about fresh powder on the slopes.

You might encounter powder as a verb too. A baker powders a cake with sugar, dusting it across the top. In older stories, people powdered their wigs with white powder to look fashionable. To powder your nose is an old-fashioned, polite way of saying you need to step away for a moment, often to freshen up.