yogurt

American  

[yoh-gert] / ˈyoʊ gərt /

Or yoghurt

noun

1. a tart, custardlike food made from milk curdled by the action of bacterial cultures, sometimes sweetened or flavored.

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yogurt British  

/ ˈjɒɡ-, ˈjəʊɡət /

noun

1. a thick custard-like food prepared from milk that has been curdled by bacteria, often sweetened and flavoured with fruit, chocolate, etc

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Etymology

Origin of yogurt

First recorded in 1615–25; from Turkish yoğurt

Explanation

Yogurt is a creamy, slightly sour food that many people like to eat for breakfast. Frozen yogurt also makes a delicious dessert — especially with plenty of chocolate sprinkles. Yogurt is basically fermented milk, made thick and creamy by lactic acid and bacteria — it may not sound very appetizing described that way, but yogurt is a tasty food made even more delectable by the addition of sweeteners and fruit, or in savory dishes by salt and spices. And yogurt is good for you, adding healthy bacteria to your digestive system. The word comes from the Turkish yoǧurt, from a root meaning "condense."

Example Sentences

There’s usually something creamy or structured at its base — beans, coconut milk, yogurt — to give it body.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Even if I do have a little ice cream or yogurt at the end of the night, it’s not the whole container anymore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

I have yogurt with frozen blueberries and a little maple syrup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

In the 1940s, many Americans weren’t too fond of the slightly sour taste that’s characteristic of plain yogurt, wrote Allison Aubrey for NPR.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

This is what I did today: I got up, had a chapati and a bowl of yogurt, and sat at the table helping Dadi fold the linen napkins.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani