fermentation

[fur-men-tey-shuh n] /ˌfɜr mɛnˈteɪ ʃən/

noun

the act or process of fermenting.

a change brought about by a ferment, as yeast enzymes, which convert grape sugar into ethyl alcohol.

agitation; excitement.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English fermentacioun < Late Latin fermentātiōn- (stem of fermentātiō), equivalent to Latin fermentāt(us) fermented (see ferment, -ate¹) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms

nonfermentation, noun

prefermentation, noun

self-fermentation, noun

Examples from the web for fermentation

Hence a preference for the other obvious solution: adding water during the fermentation process.
It's a bottle-conditioned beer, meaning that it wasn't filtered after the final fermentation.
Bob primarily worked in environmental testing laboratories before switching to the fermentation industry.
Nothing broadcasts the presence of ripe, digestible fruit as effectively as the aroma of fermentation.
Energy can be recovered from organic wastes by a controlled fermentative process called dark fermentation.
Once extracted from pods that grow on the trees, cocoa beans are put through a natural fermentation process, then sun-dried.
fermentation continues for another few weeks, with no big surprises in store.
Instead they add a particular strain of cultured yeasts that guarantee smooth, predictable fermentation.
Prospero treads the thin line between fermentation and rot.
We need these grains for their sugar, which is necessary for the fermentation process.

British Dictionary definitions for fermentation

fermentation

/ˌfɜːmɛnˈteɪʃən/

noun

a chemical reaction in which a ferment causes an organic molecule to split into simpler substances, esp the anaerobic conversion of sugar to ethyl alcohol by yeast Also called ferment, related adjective zymotic

Derived Forms

fermentative, adjective
fermentatively, adverb
fermentativeness, noun

Word Origin and History for fermentation

late 14c., in alchemy, with a broad sense; modern scientific sense is from c.1600; from Late Latin fermentationem (nominative fermentatio), noun of action from fermentare (see ferment (v.)). Figurative use attested from 1650s.

fermentation in Medicine

fermentation fer·men·ta·tion (fûr'mən-tā'shən, -měn-)
n.
Any of a group of chemical reactions that split complex organic compounds into relatively simple substances, especially the anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast.

fermentation in Science

fermentation

(fûr'měn-tā'shən)
The process by which complex organic compounds, such as glucose, are broken down by the action of enzymes into simpler compounds without the use of oxygen. Fermentation results in the production of energy in the form of two ATP molecules, and produces less energy than the aerobic process of cellular respiration. The other end products of fermentation differ depending on the organism. In many bacteria, fungi, protists, and animals cells (notably muscle cells in the body), fermentation produces lactic acid and lactate, carbon dioxide, and water. In yeast and most plant cells, fermentation produces ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and water.

fermentation in Culture

fermentation definition

A chemical reaction in which sugars are broken down into smaller molecules that can be used in living systems. Alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and whiskey, are made from the controlled use of fermentation. Fermentation is an anaerobic process.