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

With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2025

Chicken breasts are soaked in buttermilk for 48 hours before they’re breaded and fried until crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. —Pamela MacNaughtan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Nov. 2025

Remove bowl from freezer; add buttermilk, and stir together until a shaggy dough forms. —Sabrina Weiss, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs; slowly add the buttermilk and bacon fat. —Kathryn Gregory, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Nov. 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