ferment

[ noun fur-ment; verb fer-ment ]

noun

1. Also called organized ferment. any of a group of living organisms, as yeasts, molds, and certain bacteria, that cause fermentation.
2. Also called unorganized ferment. an enzyme.
3. fermentation.
4. agitation; unrest; excitement; commotion; tumult:

   The new painters worked in a creative ferment.

   The capital lived in a political ferment.

verb (used with object)

1. to act upon as a ferment.
2. to cause to undergo fermentation.
3. to inflame; foment:

   to ferment prejudiced crowds to riot.

4. to cause agitation or excitement in:

   Reading fermented his active imagination.

verb (used without object)

1. to be fermented; undergo fermentation.
2. to seethe with agitation or excitement.

ferment

noun

1. any agent or substance, such as a bacterium, mould, yeast, or enzyme, that causes fermentation
2. another word for fermentation
3. commotion; unrest

verb

1. to undergo or cause to undergo fermentation
2. to stir up or seethe with excitement

Usage

See foment

Derived Forms

• ferˈmentable, adjective
• ferˌmentaˈbility, noun
• ferˈmenter, noun

Other Words From

• fer·ment·a·ble adjective
• fer·ment·a·bil·i·ty [fer-men-t, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• non·fer·ment·a·bil·i·ty noun
• non·fer·ment·a·ble adjective
• non·fer·ment·ed adjective
• non·fer·ment·ing adjective
• un·fer·ment·a·ble adjective
• un·fer·ment·ed adjective
• un·fer·ment·ing adjective
• well-fer·ment·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferment¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fermentum “yeast” (noun), fermentāre “to cause to rise” (verb), equivalent to fer(vēre) “to boil” + -mentum -ment ( def ); fervent

Word History and Origins

Origin of ferment¹

C15: from Latin fermentum yeast, from fervēre to seethe

Example Sentences

The bundle is left to ferment in a warm, humid place for about a day and a half.

From Salon

Stir-fried; used as a stuffing, filling, or basis of sauce; and even served as a fried snack, oncom is traditionally made by combining a bit of old oncom with something like soybean pulp and leaving it to ferment.

From Salon

For the last seven years, Kammerer has been working with koji mold, or Aspergillus oryzae, which is widely used in Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans and make things like soy sauce and miso.

From Salon

Out of this angry ferment came two very different expressions of anti-establishment politics.

From Salon

"Anti-democratic views were eventually part of the ferment for Trump's development as a kind of fascist situation, which of course ends in January 6," Finchelstein said, adding that he doubts Trump has any deeper "theoretical" underpinnings to his fascist beliefs beyond superficial support for the ideas already popular among his far right base.

From Salon

Related Words

• commotion
• disquiet
• excitement
• frenzy
• restlessness
• tumult
• turbulence
• unrest
• upheaval
• uproar