butterfat

[ buht-er-fat ]

noun

1. butter; milk fat; a mixture of glycerides, mainly butyrin, olein, and palmitin.

butterfat

/ ˈbʌtəˌfæt /

noun

1. the fatty substance of milk from which butter is made, consisting of a mixture of glycerides, mainly butyrin, olein, and palmitin

Word History and Origins

Origin of butterfat¹

First recorded in 1885–90; butter + fat

Example Sentences

These sweets had a rich and soulful quality — the butterfat reward for a laborious stovetop process.

From Washington Post

Whether it’s the overwhelming costs or the coolness of so many stories, they do not lend themselves to Golden Age butterfat.

From New York Times

It's made by slowly heating fresh cream until the butterfat separates and rises to the top.

From Salon

It suddenly dawned on me one night that ice cream was all about scent and that butterfat is actually a perfect carrier of scent.

From New York Times

To make butter, all you need to do is agitate some cream enough, and the tiny droplets of butterfat will come together, separating from the watery buttermilk.

From Salon