sourdough

noun

sour·​dough ˈsau̇(-ə)r-ˌdō 

 sense 1 is also  -ˈdō

1

: a leaven consisting of dough in which fermentation is active

2

[from the use of sourdough for making bread in prospectors' camps] : a veteran inhabitant and especially an old-time prospector of Alaska or northwestern Canada

Examples of sourdough in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ten Belles Photo: Courtesy of Ten Belles Beloved for their sourdough bread, pastries, and specialty coffee, Ten Belles helped pioneer the city’s new-wave coffee scene, opening just off the Canal Saint Martin in 2012 and later expanding with outposts in the 6th and 11th arrondissements. —Sophie Dodd, Vogue, 22 July 2024

Browse the rows of squash blossoms, baskets of apple varieties, tables piled with sourdough loaves, and flower stands at Blue Ridge Botanicals. —Jennifer Justus, Southern Living, 2 July 2024

Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven Remember the sourdough phase from a few years back? —Amber C. Snider, Peoplemag, 4 July 2024

During the pandemic, McDonnell heard about a man baking sourdough using a 4,500-year-old yeast strain. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sourdough

noun

sour·​dough ˈsau̇(ə)r-ˌdō 

1

: a dough in which fermentation is active and which is used to start fermentation in other dough (as in making bread)

2

: an old-time prospector in Alaska or northwestern Canada