butterfat

American

[buht-er-fat] / ˈbʌt ərˌfæt /

noun

butter; milk fat; a mixture of glycerides, mainly butyrin, olein, and palmitin.

butterfat British

/ ˈbʌtəˌfæt /

noun

the fatty substance of milk from which butter is made, consisting of a mixture of glycerides, mainly butyrin, olein, and palmitin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of butterfat

First recorded in 1885–90; butter + fat

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

butterfat

Their milk has a high butterfat content that makes a much-coveted cheese.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

I use this technique for recipes with intricate details, like a lattice crust, that calls for a high butterfat butter.

From Salon ● Dec. 4, 2024

These sweets had a rich and soulful quality — the butterfat reward for a laborious stovetop process.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 3, 2023

To completely echo Jeni, dairy and butterfat carry flavors so well, and that includes any kind of spice infusion.

From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2022

Masvita combed Nhamo’s hair and rubbed her skin with butterfat.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023