sourdough

American  

[souuhr-doh, sou-er-] / ˈsaʊərˌdoʊ, ˈsaʊ ər- /

noun

1. fermented dough retained from one baking and used as leaven, rather than fresh yeast, to start the next.

2. bread leavened with this fermented dough.

   Pick up a loaf of sourdough and a baguette, too.

3. a prospector or pioneer, especially in Alaska or Canada.

4. any longtime resident, especially in Alaska or Canada.

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adjective

1. leavened with sourdough.

   sourdough bread.

sourdough British  

/ ˈsaʊəˌdəʊ /

adjective

1. dialect  (of bread) made with fermented dough used as a leaven

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noun

1. (in Western US, Canada, and Alaska) an old-time prospector or pioneer

Etymology

Origin of sourdough

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English: literally, “leaven, leavened bread” ; sour, dough

Example Sentences

I love using Portuguese bread for my breadcrumbs, it has a slight tangy flavor, like a more subtle version of sourdough that adds a great bite and toastiness to the mac and cheese.

From Salon

For the baker in your life, the extra-wide slots accommodate thick sourdough slices without a fuss, and the precise settings deliver a reliably even toast every time.

From Salon

A fellow walked into a bike shop in Ontario, carrying a fresh loaf of sourdough bread.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the process, she become a San Francisco institution, as venerated as the Golden Gate Bridge and beloved as the city’s tangy sourdough bread.

From Los Angeles Times

"You now have slice concepts, London pizza, new haven, sourdough, Neapolitan, Detroit - it's a heavenly minefield for a pizza-loving consumer to explore."

From BBC

Related Words

• cake
• crepe
• waffle