noun
yeast
yeest
noun
1
A microscopic fungus used to ferment dough or brew alcohol.
"She added a packet of yeast to the flour to make the dough rise."
verb
1
To ferment or cause to rise.
"The dough was left to yeast overnight in a warm spot."
How to Use Yeast
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA living microorganism used in baking (to make bread rise) and brewing (to turn sugar into alcohol).
Common mistake
"Yeast infection" refers to an overgrowth of a different yeast species (Candida) in the body, unrelated to baking yeast.
Common pairings
active yeast
yeast infection
brewer's yeast
Word Forms
yeasted past tense, yeasts plural, Yeasts plural, yeasts singular
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She added a packet of _____ to the flour to make the dough rise.
Etymology
From Old English ġist/ġyst, from a Germanic root related to foam or froth — the same root behind the German word for sea foam.