blanch
UK[blɑːntʃ]US[blæntʃ]
v
to make something, especially a vegetable, white or pale by removing its color, typically by briefly boiling it or depriving it of light.
v
to become white or pale, especially from shock, fear, or illness.
Etymology
the english verb "blanch" entered the language in the 14th century, borrowed from the old french "blanchir," meaning "to make white." this french term is itself derived from the adjective "blanc," meaning "white," which has germanic origins, likely from frankish "blank." the underlying proto-germanic root "blankaz" signified "bright" or "shining," which is also the source for the english word "blank." the semantic journey is direct: from the ancient concept of brightness, to the color white, to the specific culinary and physiological actions of making or becoming pale. the modern definitions perfectly retain this core logic of inducing or experiencing a loss of color, whether in cooking vegetables or in a human face.
Analysis
the word is a simplex form derived as a whole from old french.
Examples
blanch the almonds in boiling water to remove their skins easily.
she blenched visibly when she heard the terrible news.
the gardener blanches the celery by covering the stalks with soil to keep them tender and pale.