sourdough
noun
sour·dough
ˈsau̇(-ə)r-ˌdō 
sense 1 is also -ˈdō
1
: a leaven consisting of dough in which fermentation is active
2
[from the use of sourdough for making bread in prospectors' camps]
: a veteran inhabitant and especially an old-time prospector of Alaska or northwestern Canada
Examples of sourdough in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven Remember the sourdough phase from a few years back?
—
Amber C. Snider, Peoplemag, 4 July 2024
During the pandemic, McDonnell heard about a man baking sourdough using a 4,500-year-old yeast strain.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024
Then there’s the Runner & Stone sourdough baguette — thinner, chewier and crisper than many of its ilk.
—New York Times, 18 June 2024
On Tuesday morning, my £3.59 surprise bag includes a small cake and a slightly stale sourdough loaf, which provides breakfast for three more days.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for sourdough 
Amber C. Snider, Peoplemag, 4 July 2024
During the pandemic, McDonnell heard about a man baking sourdough using a 4,500-year-old yeast strain.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 June 2024
Then there’s the Runner & Stone sourdough baguette — thinner, chewier and crisper than many of its ilk.
—New York Times, 18 June 2024
On Tuesday morning, my £3.59 surprise bag includes a small cake and a slightly stale sourdough loaf, which provides breakfast for three more days.
—Krista Stevens, Longreads, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for sourdough
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sourdough.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sourdough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sourdough. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sourdough
noun
sour·dough
ˈsau̇(ə)r-ˌdō
1
: a dough in which fermentation is active and which is used to start fermentation in other dough (as in making bread)
2
: an old-time prospector in Alaska or northwestern Canada
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