margarine

American  

[mahr-jer-in, -juh-reen, mahrj-rin] / ˈmɑr dʒər ɪn, -dʒəˌrin, ˈmɑrdʒ rɪn /

noun

1. a butterlike product made of refined vegetable oils, sometimes blended with animal fats, and emulsified, usually with water or milk.

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margarine British  

/ ˌmɑːdʒəˈriːn, ˌmɑːɡə- /

noun

1. a substitute for butter, prepared from vegetable and animal fats by emulsifying them with water and adding small amounts of milk, salt, vitamins, colouring matter, etc

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Etymology

Origin of margarine

1870–75; from French margarin, a glyceryl ester of margar(ic acid) ( def. ) + -in -ine ²

Example Sentences

Polypropylene, labeled as #5 on packaging, is used for yogurt containers, margarine tubs and microwavable trays.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

"Skimpflation" sees the switching of expensive ingredients for cheaper ones, for example margarine where oil content is reduced and replaced with water.

From BBC • Sep. 26, 2023

No material sets off this argument more than polypropylene, the plastic marked with a 5 and commonly used for yogurt tubs and margarine containers.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023

An ultraprocessed breakfast might be Honey Nut Cheerios and a prepackaged blueberry muffin with margarine, whereas an unprocessed breakfast might be oatmeal, blueberries, almonds, and 2 percent milk.

From Slate • Jul. 18, 2023

She was cutting a slice of white, white bread, and next to her was a block of yellow margarine.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• oil
• shortening