yeast

noun

\ ˈyēst,

especially Southern and Midland US ˈēst\

Definition of yeast

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a yellowish surface froth or sediment that occurs especially in saccharine liquids (such as fruit juices) in which it promotes alcoholic fermentation, consists largely of cells of a fungus (such as the saccharomyces, Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and is used especially in the making of alcoholic liquors and as a leaven in baking

b : a commercial product containing yeast fungi in a moist or dry medium

c(1) : a unicellular fungus that is present and functionally active in yeast, usually has little or no mycelium, and reproduces by budding

(2) : any of various similar fungi

2 archaic : the foam or spume of waves

3 : something that causes ferment or activity were all seething with the yeast of revolt— J. F. Dobie

yeast

verb

yeasted; yeasting; yeasts

Definition of yeast (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: ferment, froth

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Examples of yeast in a Sentence

Noun

taxation without representation proved to be the yeast of rebellion

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The latter being a big draw, particularly for women, as kombucha is very high in sugar, which is a food source for yeast. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "Why “Gut Shots” Are the Key to Healthy Holiday Eating," 22 Nov. 2018 In a liquid measuring cup, combine yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. — Virginia Willis, Country Living, "Buttermilk Angel Biscuits," 13 Mar. 2011 This is a common, cheap, easy-to-find yeast that works for cider. — Casey Johnston, Ars Technica, "Store-bought is not enough: My first hard cider homebrew," 22 Nov. 2018 To recreate the funky farmhouse ale, the brewers sourced millet, barley, and indigenous wild yeast from the area. — Kate Springer, Condé Nast Traveler, "Inside Hong Kong's Craft Beer Revolution," 17 Aug. 2018 The health condition is so, err, popular because every woman naturally has yeast (aka candida) brewing in their vaginas. — Tehrene Firman, Woman's Day, "5 Yeast Infection Symptoms in Women That Should Never Be Ignored," 30 July 2018 Snowflake yeasts have their own way of purging themselves of deviant cells. — Elizabeth Pennisi, Science | AAAS, "The momentous transition to multicellular life may not have been so hard after all," 28 June 2018 For the fermentation, Groeper chose a special yeast isolated from wineries in Spain. — Ellen Bhang, BostonGlobe.com, "Rioja-inspired red, crafted in Pembroke," 5 Apr. 2018 One process under consideration is creating CBD and other cannabinoids through a yeast fermentation process that eliminates the need to grow plants. — Jennifer Maloney, WSJ, "Slowing Cigarette Sales Push Altria to Explore Other Opportunities," 4 Dec. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Same for dozens of styles of fish stew, yeasted rolls, cakes, and pies found around the world. — National Geographic, "The Secret History of the World's Priciest Spice," 3 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'yeast.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

11 Jan 2019

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Time Traveler for yeast

The first known use of yeast was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for yeast

yeast

noun

English Language Learners Definition of yeast

: a type of fungus that is used in making alcoholic drinks (such as beer and wine) and in baking to help make dough rise

See the full definition for yeast in the English Language Learners Dictionary

yeast

noun

\ ˈyēst

Kids Definition of yeast

1 : a single-celled fungus that ferments sugar to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide

2 : a commercial product containing living yeast cells that is used in baking to make dough rise and in the making of alcoholic beverages (as wine)

yeast

noun

\ ˈyēst

Medical Definition of yeast

1 : a unicellular chiefly ascomycetous fungus (as of the family Saccharomycetaceae) that has usually little or no mycelium, that typically reproduces asexually by budding, and that includes forms (as Saccharomyces cerevisiae) which cause alcoholic fermentation and are used especially in the making of alcoholic beverages and leavened bread

2 : a yellowish surface froth or sediment that occurs especially in sugary fermenting liquids (as fruit juices) and consists chiefly of yeast cells and carbon dioxide

3 : a commercial product containing yeast cells in a moist or dry medium