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

Cultured Buttermilk Cultured buttermilk is made by adding lactic acid bacteria to milk. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 29 May 2026

Soak your chicken in buttermilk at least two hours before frying. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 23 May 2026

Nearly every expert on our panel brought up buttermilk. —Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2026

Baby blue and buttermilk yellow get a cool, crisp spin from silver chrome accents. —Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 May 2026

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