sourdough

[souuh r-doh, sou-er-] /ˈsaʊərˌdoʊ, ˈsaʊ ər-/

noun

leaven, especially fermented dough retained from one baking and used, rather than fresh yeast, to start the next.

a prospector or pioneer, especially in Alaska or Canada.

any longtime resident, especially in Alaska or Canada.

adjective

leavened with sourdough:

sourdough bread.

Origin

1275-1325; Middle English; see sour, dough

Examples from the web for sourdough

Bacteria, yeast to be specific, is what makes bread rise and gives sourdough's their taste.
With some rustic sourdough bread, it made a delicious appetizer for our dinner.
Mix together sourdough starter batter, water, and four cups of flour.
He teaches viewers--and the ditsy host--to make bread dough, pizzas, and sourdough starter.
Biga, is a yeast-based starter, gives the loaf characteristics of bread made with a sourdough starter.
Serve this easy-to-make, inventive salad with sourdough bread.
Start off your meal with the tossed house salad, a bowl of seafood bisque or a serving of hot crab dip with sourdough bread.
Serve on sourdough buns with lettuce, tomato and onion.

British Dictionary definitions for sourdough

sourdough

/ˈsaʊəˌdəʊ/

adjective

(dialect) (of bread) made with fermented dough used as a leaven

noun

(in Western US, Canada, and Alaska) an old-time prospector or pioneer

Word Origin and History for sourdough

early 14c., "leavened bread," also "leaven" (late 14c.), from sour (adj.) + dough. Meaning "fermented dough" is from 1868. The meaning "Arctic prospector or pioneer" is from 1898 Yukon gold rush, from the practice of saving a lump of fermented dough as leaven for raising bread baked during the winter.