SCOBY

American

[skoh-bee] / ˈskoʊ bi /

Sometimes SCOBAY or scoby

noun

a live culture consisting of multiple species of yeast and bacteria used in the preparation of fermented beverages, most commonly kombucha.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

SCOBIES

plural

Etymology

Origin of SCOBY

First recorded in 2005–10; shortening of s(ymbiotic) c(ulture) o(f) b(acteria and) y(east)

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:

SCOBY

Kombucha is made when a SCOBY, a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, ferments sweetened tea.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

Kombucha is a fermented drink made from black tea and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, better known as SCOBY.

From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2024

Even kombucha-lovers will be a little skeeved out by SCOBY, but it's all part of the process.

From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2022

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