yogurt

American  

[yoh-gert] / ˈyoʊ gərt /

Or yoghurt

noun

1. a tart, custardlike food made from milk curdled by the action of bacterial cultures, sometimes sweetened or flavored.

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yogurt British  

/ ˈjɒɡ-, ˈjəʊɡət /

noun

1. a thick custard-like food prepared from milk that has been curdled by bacteria, often sweetened and flavoured with fruit, chocolate, etc

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Etymology

Origin of yogurt

First recorded in 1615–25; from Turkish yoğurt

Explanation

Yogurt is a creamy, slightly sour food that many people like to eat for breakfast. Frozen yogurt also makes a delicious dessert — especially with plenty of chocolate sprinkles. Yogurt is basically fermented milk, made thick and creamy by lactic acid and bacteria — it may not sound very appetizing described that way, but yogurt is a tasty food made even more delectable by the addition of sweeteners and fruit, or in savory dishes by salt and spices. And yogurt is good for you, adding healthy bacteria to your digestive system. The word comes from the Turkish yoǧurt, from a root meaning "condense."

Example Sentences

It’s awesome because they rub you from head to toe with body oil, then they wash your hair and give you a cucumber and yogurt mask.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

I like to eat right away, and I eat the same two things every day: either yogurt with frozen berries, or there’s this overnight oats called Mush.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Even if your greek yogurt is on its last legs, I have found what seems like infinite uses for the tart, creamy product: breakfast, sauces, something vaguely adjacent to dessert.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Greek yogurt, at its core, is a jack of all trades.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

“By the end of the day I might have had yogurt in my armpits.”

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull