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 reaction continues as long as there is some hydrogen peroxide and yeast left. — Ben Finio, Scientific American, "Make Elephant Toothpaste," 1 Aug. 2019 Impossible Foods sources its from soy leghemoglobin, which is found naturally in soybean roots and which Impossible Foods gets from yeast. — Kelsey Piper, Vox, "Impossible Burgers just cleared a big regulatory hurdle. They might be sold in stores as soon as next month.," 1 Aug. 2019 Two seasonings — coconut aminos and nutritional yeast — have come up repeatedly on my social media feeds recently. — Ellie Krieger, Washington Post, "Two formerly fringe ingredients go mainstream: Nutritional yeast and coconut aminos," 16 July 2019 Originally brewed to refresh farm workers, Saisons emphasize malt sweetness, with tropical fruit and spicy/peppery notes from special yeast. - from Taylor Ladner, events manager at Avondale Brewing Co. 7. — Eric Velasco, al.com, "8 tasty Birmingham beer and barbecue pairings," 6 June 2019 No nutrients means no energy, and yeast cells need energy to pump protons out of their cytoplasm to maintain the neutral pH essential for their biochemistry. — Quanta Magazine, "‘Lava-Lamp’ Proteins May Help Cells Cheat Death," 26 Nov. 2018 Once microfiltration became common, yeast could be removed entirely and the danger of refermentation was gone, and off-dry wines became the standard. — Fortune, "German Winemakers Are Hoping for a Revival With a Return to Drier Wines," 21 July 2019 Your diet can have an impact on your discharge and definitely on yeast production. — Essence, "Ask An OB-GYN: How Can I Keep My Lady Parts Fresh In The Summer?," 19 July 2019 Skin contact fermented 100% Savvy Blanc, wild yeasts with racy acidity. — Wine Australia, Bon Appétit, "How Aussie Chef Aaron Brooks Brings the Unexpected to His Miami Steakhouse," 16 July 2019

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

9 Aug 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