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Definition of yeast

yeast

/jiːst/
yeast

Plural:yeasts
•
Adjective:yeasty
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yeast Lexical Profile

yeast Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A commercial or natural preparation containing active yeast cells, widely used as a leavening agent in baking to cause dough to rise, and in brewing to ferment beverages.

Example

"Dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water before mixing it into the flour to ensure the bread rises properly."


2

A microscopic, single-celled fungus that reproduces by budding and is capable of converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Example

"The biologist observed the rapid division of the yeast cells under a high-powered microscope."


3

An animating, restless, or stirring influence that brings about change, development, or transformation.

Example

"The new philosophical movement acted as a yeast in the stagnant cultural landscape of the era."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for yeast

• Rhymes for yeast

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'gist', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'gest' and German 'Gischt' (froth, foam), deriving from an Indo-European root meaning 'to boil, froth, or bubble'.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Yeast. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/yeast
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