leavening
leavening Lexical Profile
leavening Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A substance, such as yeast, baking powder, or baking soda, used to produce fermentation or gas in dough or batter so that it rises.
"The baker realized too late that he had forgotten to add the leavening to the cake batter."
The process or action of causing dough or batter to rise and lighten.
"Proper temperature control is essential during the leavening of sourdough bread."
An influence or quality that permeates and modifies something to make it lighter, more lively, or more agreeable.
"The lecture could have used a bit of humor as a leavening for all the dense statistical data."
• adjective
Causing dough or batter to rise and become light and porous through fermentation or gas release.
"Carbon dioxide released by the leavening process creates the airy pockets found inside a freshly baked loaf."
Serving to enliven, temper, or make something less serious, rigid, or monotonous.
"Her dry wit provided a leavening influence during the otherwise tense committee negotiations."
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English from the verb leaven and the suffix -ing; leaven derives from Old French levain, from Latin levamen ('an alleviation' or 'that which raises'), ultimately from levare ('to raise or lighten').