ferment
Americannoun
-
Also called organized ferment. any of a group of living organisms, as yeasts, molds, and certain bacteria, that cause fermentation.
-
Also called unorganized ferment. an enzyme.
-
agitation; unrest; excitement; commotion; tumult.
The new painters worked in a creative ferment.
The capital lived in a political ferment.
verb (used with object)
-
to act upon as a ferment.
-
to cause to undergo fermentation.
-
to inflame; foment.
to ferment prejudiced crowds to riot.
-
to cause agitation or excitement in.
Reading fermented his active imagination.
verb (used without object)
-
to be fermented; undergo fermentation.
-
to seethe with agitation or excitement.
noun
-
any agent or substance, such as a bacterium, mould, yeast, or enzyme, that causes fermentation
-
another word for fermentation
-
commotion; unrest
verb
-
to undergo or cause to undergo fermentation
-
to stir up or seethe with excitement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of ferment
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin fermentum “yeast” (noun), fermentāre “to cause to rise” (verb), equivalent to fer(vēre) “to boil” + -mentum -ment ( def. ); cf. fervent
Explanation
The word ferment means a commotion or excitement. Consider that the fermentation that turns juice or grain into alcohol is the result of the agitated development of bacteria, and then you can better appreciate the word's meaning. While you might be more familiar with the verb ferment, referring to the natural process that produces alcohol, the word is also used as a noun, giving the same type of boiling emotion to people or events. If you keep in mind that the root of the word is fevere, meaning "to boil or seethe," you get a vivid picture of the ferment experienced at a political rally where tempers run high.
Vocabulary lists containing ferment
"My Wonder Horse," Vocabulary from the short story
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Don't Panic! Synonyms for "Stress"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
With the help of large handheld food mixers, they carefully grind the mixture of dried Californian grapes and water, which they then ferment before distilling it in a large still imported from Germany.
From Barron's • May 2, 2026
Florence, wracked by dissent and besieged by the Holy Roman Empire, remained in ferment until the Medicis consolidated power in 1530 into what became the Duchy of Florence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
When they ferment sugars, they create tiny outward flowing currents across the wet surface.
From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026
By dint of pandemic pauses and far-flung locales around the U.K.’s Cotswolds and on the Welsh Borders, the lineup managed to quietly ferment and realize some of that long-ago unknown magical mystery.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2025
In hours, the whole of Rome fell into ferment.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
