Definition

1. Noun:
   • A settler or prospector (especially in western United States or northwest Canada and Alaska): "sourdough" can refer to an experienced pioneer, particularly one who participated in the Klondike Gold Rush.
   • A leaven of dough in which fermentation is active; used by pioneers for making bread: "sourdough" also refers to a fermented dough starter used as a natural raising agent for bread.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Person):

  • The old sourdough told stories of the gold rush. (The experienced prospector told stories of the gold rush.)
  • He was a true Alaskan sourdough, having lived through many winters there. (He was a true, seasoned Alaskan settler.)

• Noun (Starter):

  • She keeps her sourdough in the refrigerator and feeds it weekly. (She keeps her fermented dough starter in the refrigerator and feeds it weekly.)
  • This bread is made with a traditional sourdough. (This bread is made with a traditional fermented starter.)

Advanced Usage

• "sourdough culture": This refers to the community of wild yeast and bacteria in a sourdough starter.
  • Maintaining a healthy sourdough culture requires regular feeding.
• "sourdough bread": Bread leavened specifically with a sourdough starter, known for its characteristic tangy flavor.
  • I bought a loaf of delicious sourdough bread from the bakery.

Variants and Related Words

• Sourdough starter (n): The specific mixture of flour and water used to cultivate the wild yeast and bacteria for sourdough bread.
  • Creating a sourdough starter from scratch takes about a week.

Synonyms

• Prospector (for the person): A person who searches for mineral deposits, especially gold.
• Pioneer / Settler (for the person): A person who is among the first to explore or settle a new area.
• Leaven / Starter (for the dough): A substance used to produce fermentation in dough.

Related Phrases

• To be an old sourdough: An idiom describing someone with extensive experience in a rugged frontier region.
  • When it comes to surviving in the wilderness, ask Jim; he's an old sourdough.

Noun

1. a settler or prospector (especially in western United States or northwest Canada and Alaska)
2. a leaven of dough in which fermentation is active; used by pioneers for making bread