adjective
buttery
BUH-tuh-ree
Buttery (adjective) means tasting of or containing a lot of butter; rich and smooth like butter. Example: “The croissant was warm and buttery.”
adjective
1
Tasting of or containing a lot of butter; rich and smooth like butter.
"The buttery-tasting cookie was actually made with margarine, but you couldn't tell by tasting it."
"The croissant was warm and buttery."
noun
1
A storeroom for food and drink, or a room at some British universities where snacks are sold.
"‘This is the storehouse and buttery of my company of the Guard,’"
— John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Minas Tirith (1955)
"Students grabbed sandwiches from the college buttery between lectures."
How to use buttery
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRich and creamy like butter, or (in British university slang) a small food shop/storeroom.
Common pairings
buttery flavor
buttery croissant
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Word forms
- Plural
- butteries
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The croissant was warm and _____.
Etymology
From Middle English buttry, from butter plus -y — though the storeroom sense actually traces to the same root as "bottle," not butter, despite the similar spelling.
Related words
Rhymes for buttery
See all rhymes for buttery →Frequently asked questions
What does “buttery” mean?
The word “buttery” means tasting of or containing a lot of butter; rich and smooth like butter. In plain terms, rich and creamy like butter, or (in British university slang) a small food shop/storeroom.
How do you pronounce “buttery”?
“Buttery” is pronounced BUH-tuh-ree (/ˈbʌt(ə)ɹi/ in IPA).
How do you use “buttery” in a sentence?
Here is “buttery” used in a sentence: “The croissant was warm and buttery.”
What part of speech is “buttery”?
Depending on how it is used, “buttery” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “buttery” come from?
The word “buttery” comes from Middle English. From Middle English buttry, from butter plus -y — though the storeroom sense actually traces to the same root as "bottle," not butter, despite the similar spelling.
How many meanings does “buttery” have?
“Buttery” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tasting of or containing a lot of butter; rich and smooth like butter.
