fermentation

American  

[fur-men-tey-shuhn] / ˌfɜr mɛnˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of fermenting.

2. a change brought about by a ferment, as yeast enzymes, which convert grape sugar into ethyl alcohol.

3. agitation; excitement.

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fermentation British  

/ ˌfɜːmɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. Also called: ferment.  a chemical reaction in which a ferment causes an organic molecule to split into simpler substances, esp the anaerobic conversion of sugar to ethyl alcohol by yeast

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fermentation Scientific  

/ fûr′mĕn-tā′shən /

1. The process by which complex organic compounds, such as glucose, are broken down by the action of enzymes into simpler compounds without the use of oxygen. Fermentation results in the production of energy in the form of two ATP molecules, and produces less energy than the aerobic process of cellular respiration. The other end products of fermentation differ depending on the organism. In many bacteria, fungi, protists, and animals cells (notably muscle cells in the body), fermentation produces lactic acid and lactate, carbon dioxide, and water. In yeast and most plant cells, fermentation produces ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and water.

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fermentation Cultural  

1. A chemical reaction in which sugars are broken down into smaller molecules that can be used in living systems. Alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and whiskey, are made from the controlled use of fermentation. Fermentation is an anaerobic process.

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Other Word Forms

• fermentativeness
  noun
• nonfermentation
  noun
• prefermentation
  noun
• self-fermentation
  noun
• fermentative
  adjective
• fermentatively
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of fermentation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fermentacioun, from Late Latin fermentātiōn-, stem of fermentātiō, from Latin fermentāt(us) “fermented” (past participle of fermentāre “to ferment”; see ferment) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Fermentation is the process in which a substance breaks down into a simpler substance. Microorganisms like yeast and bacteria usually play a role in the fermentation process, creating beer, wine, bread, kimchi, yogurt and other foods. Fermentation comes from the Latin word fermentare, meaning “to leaven.” To make bread rise, you use a leavening agent to “wake up” dry yeast by mixing it with water. The yeast then starts “eating” the sugar in the dough and off-gassing alcohol: that’s fermentation. Grape juice becomes wine as the fermentation process is complete.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fermentation

The fermentation process creates its own heat as the yeast activates, which Heineken also captures to reuse elsewhere in its beer production, such as to preheat water.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

"The most surprising aspect was the scale of changes occurring during fermentation and how strongly they depended on the type of tea used," says the scientist.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

The rare combination of off-grain fermentation and column distillation offers yet another lever to pull when it comes to modulating flavor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 16, 2026

The Jinba + Za’atar mana’eesh stood out for its beautifully charred crust, the result of a 72-hour fermentation and a scorching-hot oven.

From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026

The long latent period of most cancers is the time required for the infinite number of cell divisions during which fermentation is gradually increasing after the initial damage to respiration.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson