buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbə-tər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after butter has been churned from milk or cream

2

: cultured milk made by the addition of suitable bacteria to sweet milk

Examples of buttermilk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When buttermilk is at the heart of a recipe, should a cook turn to a substitute when the fridge is buttermilk-less? —Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2025

In another, roasted winter squash tango with buttermilk cheddar. —Scott Hocker, theweek, 24 Dec. 2024

The new nuggets feature all-white meat chicken marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with a blend of breadcrumbs and tortilla chips. —Erin Clements, People.com, 17 Dec. 2024

The buttermilk is then removed from the leftover mixture to leave the fat, which is then formed into butter. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbət-ər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after the butterfat has been churned from milk or cream

2

: milk from which all or part of the cream has been removed and which has been soured by adding certain bacteria

Medical Definition

buttermilk

noun

but·​ter·​milk ˈbət-ər-ˌmilk 

1

: the liquid left after butter has been churned from milk or cream

2

: cultured milk made by the addition of suitable bacteria to sweet milk