sourdough
/ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.78 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.
Countable
Example Sentences
- "The troops went for those fresh tomatoes like sourdoughs going for gold in the Klondike."
Etymology
From Middle English sour dogh, equivalent to sour + dough. Compare Saterland Frisian Suurdee (“sourdough”), Dutch zuurdeeg (“sourdough”), Low German Suurdeeg (“sourdough”), German Sauerteig (“sourdough”), Danish surdej (“sourdough”), Swedish surdeg (“sourdough”), Icelandic súrdeig (“sourdough”). 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.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/
- British English: /ˈsaʊəˌdəʊ/