butterfat

noun but·ter·fat \ -ˌfat \

|Updated on: 22 Jul 2018

Definition of butterfat

: the natural fat of milk and chief constituent of butter consisting essentially of a mixture of glycerides (such as those derived from butyric, capric, caproic, and caprylic acids)

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Recent Examples of butterfat from the Web

The test allows creameries and cheese factories to separate out and measure the percentage of butterfat in milk to ensure farmers do not dilute their milk with water.

— mark johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "UW scientific advances include vitamins, growing human embryonic stem cells in lab," 12 July 2018
Astronaut’s female descendants are prized for their udder quality and the high butterfat content of their milk.

— john kelly, Washington Post, "Remembering a time when Montgomery County was dairy — very dairy, indeed," 10 July 2018
In a deep pot, heat fermented dairy mixture to set curds, and collect the butterfat that separates.

— ali bouzari, San Francisco Chronicle, "Housemade: The silent science behind three signature dishes at Duna," 12 Apr. 2018
Soda Shoppe's milkshake, made with high-butterfat ice cream, is much better, with a frothy, lumpy texture and more complex, almost caramel flavor.

— kathleen purvis, charlotteobserver, "Waiting in line at Shake Shack? There’s a better burger and shake (and it’s cheaper)," 14 June 2018
Soft serve: Soft serve generally contains 3 to 6 percent butterfat; Dairy Queen’s recipe calls for 5 percent.

— jon gorey, BostonGlobe.com, "A cold war: Which is better, hard or soft-serve ice cream?," 14 June 2018
Fry onions, garlic, chiles and paprika in butterfat.

— ali bouzari, San Francisco Chronicle, "Housemade: The silent science behind three signature dishes at Duna," 12 Apr. 2018
Significantly lower in butterfat than ice cream — from 0 to 8 percent on average, versus 10 to 18 percent or higher — gelato is churned with less air, so it’s unexpectedly denser and richer in the mouth.

— michele parente, Pacific San Diego Magazine, "Stop eating bad ice cream: The case for gelato," 16 June 2017
The butterfat that is left over after water and milk solids are removed, this is the only dairy allowed.

— molly kimball, cleveland.com, "Whole30: Extreme healthy eating, with specific do's and don'ts," 15 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'butterfat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of butterfat

1874

in the meaning defined above

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BUTTERFAT Defined for English Language Learners

butterfat

noun

Definition of butterfat for English Language Learners

: the natural fat of milk from which butter is made

BUTTERFAT Defined for Kids

butterfat

noun but·ter·fat \ ˈbə-tər-ˌfat \

Definition of butterfat for Students

: the natural fat of milk that is the chief ingredient of butter

Medical Dictionary

butterfat

noun but·ter·fat \ -ˌfat \

medical Definition of butterfat

: the natural fat of milk and chief constituent of butter consisting essentially of a mixture of glycerides (as butyrin, olein, and palmitin)

Learn More about butterfat

See words that rhyme with butterfat Spanish Central: Translation of butterfat Nglish: Translation of butterfat for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about butterfat

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butterfat

Definition of butterfat

Recent Examples of butterfat from the Web

First Known Use of butterfat

BUTTERFAT Defined for English Language Learners

butterfat

Definition of butterfat for English Language Learners

BUTTERFAT Defined for Kids

butterfat

Definition of butterfat for Students

Medical Dictionary

butterfat

medical Definition of butterfat

Learn More about butterfat

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butterfat

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butterfat

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