buttermilk

American  

[buht-er-milk] / ˈbʌt ərˌmɪlk /

noun

1. the more or less acidulous liquid remaining after butter has been separated from milk or cream.

2. a similar liquid made from whole or skim milk with the addition of a bacterial culture.

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buttermilk British  

/ ˈbʌtəˌmɪlk /

noun

1. the sourish liquid remaining after the butter has been separated from milk, often used for making scones and soda bread

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Etymology

Origin of buttermilk

First recorded in 1520–30; butter + milk

Example Sentences

The meal begins with scallop brightened with currant and rye-seasoned buttermilk, then slow-cooked reindeer, sirloin and tongue, finished over wood, mushroom purée beneath and fermented cabbage cutting richness.

From Salon

Sweet breakfasts have never been my natural habitat—good oatmeal is a beloved, comparatively rare exception, as is a single yeasty, griddled buttermilk diner pancake swimming in syrup.

From Salon

Soft, tender and just dense enough to hold its shape, these savory muffins are built on a base of flour, cornmeal, butter, oil and buttermilk — a formula so flexible it practically begs for riffing.

From Salon

So I kept things classic: white flour, white sugar, buttermilk — the quiet chorus of pastry fundamentals.

From Salon

For chicken nuggets, tortilla-based masa and jalapeño buttermilk coatings were the key.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cream
• half-and-half