bog butter

American  

[bog buht-er, bawg] / ˈbɒg ˌbʌt ər, ˈbɔg /

noun

Irish, Scots.

1. an ancient, waxy substance made of dairy or animal fat, usually contained in a bucket, barrel, or other wooden container, found buried in peat bogs, as evidence of a method of food preservation believed to have been practiced from the 16th century b.c. to the 17th century a.d.

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Etymology

Origin of bog butter

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Clothing, tools and even blocks of bog butter have been dug out of the peat.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2020

Specimens of bog butter are still preserved, and may be found in the collection of the Royal Irish Academy.

From An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800 by Cusack, Mary Frances

The man dug again and said, 'I have found a lump of bog butter.'

From Fairies and Folk of Ireland by Burleigh, Sydney Richmond