butter

[buht-er]

noun

1. the fatty portion of milk, separating as a soft whitish or yellowish solid when milk or cream is agitated or churned.

2. this substance, processed for cooking and table use.

3. any of various other soft spreads for bread.

   apple butter; peanut butter.

4. any of various substances of butterlike consistency, as various metallic chlorides, and certain vegetable oils solid at ordinary temperatures.

verb (used with object)

1. to put butter on or in; spread or grease with butter.

2. to apply a liquefied bonding material to (a piece or area), as mortar to a course of bricks.

3. Metalworking.,  to cover (edges to be welded together) with a preliminary surface of the weld metal.

verb phrase

1. butter up,  to flatter someone in order to gain a favor.

   He suspected that they were buttering him up when everyone suddenly started being nice to him.

butter

/ ˈbʌtə /

noun

1. 1. an edible fatty whitish-yellow solid made from cream by churning, for cooking and table use

   2. ( as modifier )

      butter icing

2. any substance with a butter-like consistency, such as peanut butter or vegetable butter

3. to look innocent, although probably not so

verb

1. to put butter on or in

2. to flatter

Other Word Forms

• butterless adjective
• butterlike adjective
• unbuttered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of butter¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English butere < Latin būtȳrum < Greek boútȳron

Word History and Origins

Origin of butter¹

Old English butere , from Latin būtyrum , from Greek bouturon , from bous cow + turos cheese

Idioms and Phrases

• bread and butter
• bread-and-butter letter
• know which side of bread is buttered

Example Sentences

The most recent official UK statistics indicated that food price inflation rose for the fifth month in a row in August, with beef, butter, milk and chocolate prices continuing to surge.

From BBC

One sceptical Labour MP said it was a "nice political gesture that doesn't butter any parsnips."

From BBC

Some food items, such as peanut butter, have now been classified as "luxuries" which are no longer permitted, so that large amounts of aid already procured remain stuck outside Gaza.

From BBC

Her well-loved peanut butter lengua, little squares of braised tongue topped with grilled radish and pickled onion, arrived on a plate streaked with spicy peanut sauce.

From Los Angeles Times

Slice the bagels into halves or quarters and serve with cream cheese or butter.

From Salon

Related Words

• margarine 
• oil 
• shortening