curd

1 of 2

noun

ˈkərd 

1

: the thick casein-rich part of coagulated milk

2

: something suggesting the curd of milk

curdy

ˈkər-dē 

adjective

curdy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈkər-dē 

-er/-est

: resembling curds in consistency and appearance : coagulating into curds

Examples of curd in a Sentence

Noun

The curds have separated from the whey.

The curd has separated from the whey.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

And a question about the curd from Cindy. —Emily Elias, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 June 2026

Making the powder involves several steps, including milk testing and pasteurization, the separation of curds and whey, draining and pasteurizing the liquid whey, and then sending it to a processing facility to remove more liquid via evaporation and spray drying. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 2 June 2026

On a cheesemaking day at the dairy, each cheese mold—a great, big metal tin weighing around 10kg—has 27kg of curd poured into it. —Olivia Potts, Longreads, 28 May 2026

Cottage cheese has larger curds, and many people enjoy eating it on its own. —Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 24 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English crud, curd (usually in plural cruddes, croddes, curddys) "coagulated milk, any thickened substance, dregs, lees," probably noun derivative of crudden, curdden "to curdle or make curdle (of milk), coagulate, congeal" — more at crud entry 2

Note: Though sparsely attested in Middle English, the metathesized variant curd is now standard in reference to a milk product, with crud, crood, etc., dialectal or regional in the British Isles (compare crowdie). An offshoot of British crud is North American crud entry 1.

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing curd

• bean curd
• lemon curd

Rhymes for curd

• blurred
• burd
• curred
• furred
• gerd
• gird
• herd
• kurd
• nerd
• purred
• sherd
• slurred

Kids Definition

curd

noun

ˈkərd

1

: the thickened or solid part of sour or partly digested milk compare whey

2

: something resembling the curd of milk

curdy

-ē

adjective

Medical Definition

curd

noun

ˈkərd 

: the thick casein-rich part of coagulated milk

curdy

-ē 

adjective