sourdough
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sourdough¹
- /ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/ US
- /ˈsaʊəˌdəʊ/ UK
Where it comes from
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.
noun sourdoughs · sour dough
-
A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
Similar: sourdough bread
- An old-timer, especially in Alaska. The troops went for those fresh tomatoes like sourdoughs going for gold in the Klondike.
-
A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.
Opposite: cheechako
- A 49er, a California Gold Rush miner.
- Leaven; an agent that makes dough rise.
Sourdough²
Where it comes from
From sourdough.
noun Sourdoughs
- A long-time resident of Alaska.
Translations
Every language
noun dough
| Español | masa madre |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 사워도 sawodo |
| 中文 | 發酵麵糰 /发酵面团 |
| Português | massa azeda |
| Français | levain |
| Deutsch | Sauerteig |
| Italiano | pasta madre, lievito naturale, lievito madre |
| Ελληνικά | προζύμι prozými |
| Română | pâine cu maia |
| Русский | опа́ра opára |
| עברית | שׂאור s'or |
noun miner
| Ελληνικά | μεταλλευτής metalleftís |
|---|
Talk about this word "sourdough." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/sourdough. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. sourdough. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/sourdough "sourdough." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/sourdough.Cite this
@misc{sourdough_2026,
title = {sourdough},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sourdough},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
