Log in or Sign up

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. Sour fermented dough used as leaven in making bread.
  2. n. An early settler or prospector, especially in Alaska and northwest Canada.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. See the extract.

Wiktionary

  1. adj. Describing something made from dough that was leavened with yeast and lactobacteria that produce acids giving a sour taste.
  2. n. Dough, leavened with yeast and lactobacteria that produce acids giving a sour taste.
  3. n. An old-timer, especially in Alaska. From the distinctive pouches of bread starter worn on a belt or around the neck by experienced prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush. http://www.princesslodges.com/tips-language.htm http://editore.slowfood.com/editore/riviste/slow/EN/34/sourdoughs.html
  4. n. A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. a leaven of dough in which fermentation is active; used by pioneers for making bread
  2. n. a settler or prospector (especially in western United States or northwest Canada and Alaska)

Etymologies

  1. Sense 2, from an association with using pieces of sourdough to leaven bread in the winter.

Examples

Show 10 more examples...

Lists

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • skipvia Term applied to someone who has lived in Alaska for a long time and has learned to survive in the harsh climate. From gold rush days, when maintaining sourdough starter was an important survival skill. See cheechako. Nov 4, 2007

‘sourdough’ has been looked up 1027 times, loved by 1 person, added to 15 lists, commented on 1 time, and has a Scrabble score of 14.