Meanings
sourdough1
plural sourdoughs · alternative sour dough
- countableuncountableA type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.First known use 14th c.
Synonyms: sourdough bread
- countableslangAn old-timer, especially in Alaska.First known use 1898
The troops went for those fresh tomatoes like sourdoughs going for gold in the Klondike.
1944, Ernie Pyle, Brave Men, University of Nebraska Press (2001), page 80 - YukoncountableA permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.
Antonyms: cheechako
- countablehistoricalA 49er, a California Gold Rush miner.
Sourdough2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.
nounA permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.
Origin
sourdough · noun
- Middle Englishsour dogh
- Englishsourdough
From Middle English sour dogh, equivalent to sour + dough. Compare Saterland Frisian Suurdee (“sourdough”), Dutch zuurdeeg (“sourdough”), Low German Suurdeeg (“sourdough”), German Sauerteig (“sourdough”), Danish surdej (“sourdough”), Swedish surdeg (“sourdough”), Icelandic súrdeig (“sourdough”). The senses pertaining to California, Alaska and the Yukon derive from the distinctive pouches of bread starter (starter dough used to make sourdough) worn on a belt or around the neck by experienced prospectors during the Klondike Gold Rush and California Gold Rush.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan massa mare, cap de feina
- massa maredough
- cap de feinadough
Chinese Mandarin 發酵麵糰 /发酵面团
- 發酵麵糰 /发酵面团dough
Danish surdej
- surdejdough
Dutch zuurdesem, zuurdeeg
- zuurdesemdough
- zuurdeegdough
- desemdough
Finnish hapantaikina, tervaskanto
- hapantaikinadough
- tervaskantoold-timer
French levain
- levaindough
German Sauerteig
- Sauerteigdough
Greek προζύμι, μεταλλευτής
- προζύμι (prozými)dough
- μεταλλευτής (metalleftís)miner
Hebrew שׂאור
- שׂאור (s'or)dough
Hungarian kovász
- kovászdough
Icelandic súrdeig
- súrdeigdough
Irish taos géar
- taos géardough
Italian pasta madre, lievito naturale
- pasta madredough
- lievito naturaledough
- lievito madredough
Korean 사워도
- 사워도 (sawodo)dough
Norwegian Bokmål surdeig
- surdeigdough
Polish ciasto na zakwasie, zakwas
- ciasto na zakwasiedough
- zakwasdough
- weteranold-timer
- weterankaold-timer
- górnik wydobywający złotominer
Portuguese massa azeda
- massa azedadough
Romanian pâine cu maia
- pâine cu maiadough
Russian опа́ра
- опа́ра (opára)dough
Scottish Gaelic taois gheur
- taois gheurdough
Slovak kvások
- kvásokdough
Spanish masa madre
- masa madredough
Swedish surdeg
- surdegdough
Turkish ekşi maya
- ekşi mayadough
Welsh surdoes
- surdoesdough
Cite this entry
sourdough. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sourdough
“sourdough.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sourdough. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sourdough,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sourdough.
Source: sourdough on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.