noun
sourdough
SOW-uh-doh
noun
1
Bread made using a fermented dough starter instead of commercial yeast, giving it a tangy flavor.
"She baked a fresh loaf of sourdough for the dinner party."
2
An experienced old-timer in Alaska or the Yukon, especially one who has lived through a full year there.
"The old sourdough had been prospecting in the Yukon since the gold rush."
How to Use Sourdough
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTangy fermented bread, or slang for a seasoned northern old-timer.
Common pairings
sourdough starter
sourdough loaf
Word Forms
sourdoughs plural, Sourdoughs plural
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Etymology
From sour + dough. The Alaska/Yukon sense comes from Klondike Gold Rush prospectors who carried a pouch of fermented bread starter with them at all times.