sourdough
sourdough Lexical Profile
sourdough Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Bread made from a naturally fermenting dough rather than commercial yeast, characterized by a mildly acidic taste and a chewy texture.
"We ordered avocado toast served on a thick slice of toasted sourdough."
A fermenting dough used as a leaven in baking bread, typically consisting of a portion of dough left over from a previous batch and containing naturally occurring yeast and lactobacilli.
"She fed her sourdough starter with fresh flour and water every morning to keep the yeast active."
North American An experienced prospector or pioneer in the northwestern United States or Canada, historically named for the fermented dough they carried to make bread in the wilderness.
"The old sourdough sat by the campfire, spinning tales of the Klondike Gold Rush."
Word Origin & Etymology
A compound of 'sour' and 'dough'. It gained widespread usage in the late 19th century during the Klondike Gold Rush, referring both to the fermented bread starter carried by prospectors (to survive without commercial yeast) and to the seasoned prospectors themselves.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.