1 fermentation | Definition of fermentation
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

fermentation

noun
fer路​men路​ta路​tion | \ 藢f蓹r-m蓹n-藞t膩-sh蓹n How to pronounce fermentation (audio) , -藢men-\

Definition of fermentation

1a : a chemical change with effervescence
b : an enzymatically controlled anaerobic breakdown of an energy-rich compound (such as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid) broadly : an enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound
2 : ferment sense 2
Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about fermentation

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of fermentation in a Sentence

a wave of immigration followed by a period of social fermentation

Recent Examples on the Web

 Centuries ago, French field workers took home those scraps and poured in water and something sweet to kickstart fermentation. — Emily Schultz, Bon App茅tit, "It's Hot. I'm Day Drinking. I Require Wild Arc Farm's Piquette," 22 Aug. 2019 Throughout the 1980s, vintners focussed heavily on oaked chardonnays, infusing more of the wood's flavors and malolactic fermentation into their bottlings and earning the wine legions of dedicated fans... and no few critics, either. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "Everything You Need to Know About Chardonnay," 5 Aug. 2019 Does fermentation make everything at Noma taste great? — Pete Wells, New York Times, "The New Noma: Frequently Asked Questions," 24 Apr. 2018 Too much, on the other hand, slows down fermentation and keeps the beneficial bacteria from multiplying. — Rebecca Straus, Good Housekeeping, "How To Make Sauerkraut In A Jar," 20 Sep. 2016 The Trappists in France are famous for their beer-brewing affinity, but for decades the monks of New Clairveaux didn鈥檛 busy themselves with any type of fermentation. — Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, "Courtesy of a Trappist monastery, Greek-style white wine arrives in California," 15 Aug. 2019 In contrast, natural wine contains no additives, with the possible exception of a super small dose of sulfites, which are a by-product of fermentation and used as a preservative. — NBC News, "What is natural wine? And is it better for you?," 11 Aug. 2019 An employee spreads out steamed sorghum to cool ahead of fermentation at the Kweichow Moutai distillery in Renhuai, Guizhou province, China. — Saumya Vaishampayan, WSJ, "Chinese Liquor Maker鈥檚 Earnings Make Investors Queasy," 29 Oct. 2018 The fermentation process takes out most of the sugar and caffeine. — Lydia Gerike, courant.com, "Kombucha comes to Connecticut: Brewers help introduce a new kind of drink to the state," 10 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fermentation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of fermentation

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for fermentation

fermentation

noun
fer路​men路​ta路​tion | \ 藢f蓹r-m蓹n-藞t膩-sh蓹n How to pronounce fermentation (audio) \

Kids Definition of fermentation

: a chemical breaking down of a substance (as sugar) that is controlled by an enzyme, usually does not require oxygen, and typically results in the production of alcohol and carbon dioxide

fermentation

noun
fer路​men路​ta路​tion | \ 藢f蓹r-m蓹n-藞t膩-sh蓹n, -藢men- How to pronounce fermentation (audio) \

Medical Definition of fermentation

1 : a chemical change with effervescence
2 : an enzymatically controlled anaerobic breakdown of an energy-rich compound (as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid) broadly : an enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on fermentation

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with fermentation

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fermentation

Spanish Central: Translation of fermentation

Nglish: Translation of fermentation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of fermentation for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fermentation

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!