What does "sourdough" mean?
A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
Sourdough
/ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
- Grammar: sourdough is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: acid, acidulant, bread-and-butter pickle, butty.
- Useful contrasts: cheechako, commercial bread, commercial yeast culture.
- Usage evidence: What kind of bread would you like for your toast? White, wheat, sourdough, or rye?
How to use "sourdough"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sourdough" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sourdough" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sourdough" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sourdough" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sourdough" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "acid" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sourdough", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste. countable, uncountable
- 2 a settler or prospector (especially in western United States or northwest Canada and Alaska) wordnet
- 3 An old-timer, especially in Alaska. countable, slang
"The troops went for those fresh tomatoes like sourdoughs going for gold in the Klondike."
- 4 a leaven of dough in which fermentation is active; used by pioneers for making bread wordnet
- 5 A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons. Yukon, countable
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A 49er, a California Gold Rush miner. countable, historical
- 7 Leaven; an agent that makes dough rise. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"What kind of bread would you like for your toast? White, wheat, sourdough, or rye?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sourdough"?
Common synonyms include: acid, acidulant, bread-and-butter pickle, butty, chokecherry, collier.
How do you use "sourdough" in a sentence?
What kind of bread would you like for your toast? White, wheat, sourdough, or rye?
How do you pronounce "sourdough"?
Pronounced /ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/.
Etymology
From Middle English sour dogh, equivalent to sour + dough, compare German Sauerteig and Dutch zuurdeeg. The senses pertaining to California, Alaska and the Yukon derive from the distinctive pouches of bread starter (starter dough used to make sourdough) worn on a belt or around the neck by experienced prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush and California Gold Rush.