sourdough

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
2. (countable, slang) An old-timer, especially in Alaska.
3. (Yukon, countable) A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.
4. (countable, historical) A 49er, a California Gold Rush miner.
5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Leaven; an agent that makes dough rise.

Synonyms

leaven

bushman

settler

levain

Translations

levain

Sauerteig

masa madre

lievito naturale

pasta madre

lievito madre

levedura

zuurdeeg

pasta acida

μεταλευτής

zuurdesem

desem

fermentum

metaleftīs

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sour dogh

Cognate with German: Sauerteig

In summary

From Middle English sour dogh, equivalent to sour + dough, compare German Sauerteig. 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.