buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbə-tər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after butter has been churned from milk or cream

2

: cultured milk made by the addition of suitable bacteria to sweet milk

Examples of buttermilk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gently stir buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture just until combined, about 1 minute. —Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 27 June 2025

Add the dill, sour cream and buttermilk as needed to obtain a good consistency (dressing should not be too thick). —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2025

And then the secondary component is sour cream whereas most scone recipes use something like heavy cream or buttermilk. —Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2025

Here's why Almost 90 years ago, Louis Meyer won the Indy 500 and asked for a beverage to refresh himself: A bottle of buttermilk. —Jenny Porter Tilley, IndyStar, 21 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for buttermilk

• ilk
• silk
• whilk
• wilk

Kids Definition

buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbət-ər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after the butterfat has been churned from milk or cream

2

: milk from which all or part of the cream has been removed and which has been soured by adding certain bacteria

Medical Definition

buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbət-ər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after butter has been churned from milk or cream

2

: cultured milk made by the addition of suitable bacteria to sweet milk