sourdough
UK[ˈsaʊə.dəʊ]US[ˈsaʊr.doʊ]
n
A type of bread made using a fermented mixture of flour and water (a sourdough starter) as a leavening agent, giving it a characteristically tangy flavor.
n
A prospector or old-timer, especially in Alaska or the Yukon, often carrying a pouch of sourdough starter.
n
The fermented mixture of flour and water used as a leavening agent.
Morpheme Breakdown
sour
dough
sour
dough
Etymology
The compound word 'sourdough' is a purely English formation, combining two native Old English elements. 'Sour' descends from Proto-Germanic sūraz, related to fermentation and acidity, while 'dough' comes from Proto-Germanic daigaz, meaning something kneaded or shaped. The term originally described the literal substance—a fermented, acidic bread starter. Its semantic journey took a notable turn during the 19th-century North American gold rushes. Prospectors, who relied on this durable, slow-fermenting starter for their daily bread in the absence of commercial yeast, became synonymous with their essential food supply. Thus, 'sourdough' evolved by metonymy to also denote an experienced, enduring pioneer, embedding a piece of cultural history within its simple, descriptive name.
Analysis
Structure: sour + dough
sour (Old English 'sūr', meaning having an acid taste like lemon or vinegar; sharp, tart)
dough (Old English 'dāg', meaning a soft, thick mixture of flour and liquid, used for baking)
Examples
She baked a delicious loaf of crusty sourdough.
The old sourdough told stories of the Klondike gold rush.
You need to feed your sourdough starter regularly to keep it active.