English Dictionary |
LEAVENING
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Dictionary entry overview: What does leavening mean?
• LEAVENING (noun)
The noun LEAVENING has 2 senses:
1. an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
2. a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid
Familiarity information: LEAVENING used as a noun is rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
An influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
Classified under:
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents
Synonyms:
leaven; leavening
Context example:
his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor
Hypernyms ("leavening" is a kind of...):
imponderable (a factor whose effects cannot be accurately assessed)
Sense 2
Meaning:
A substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid
Classified under:
Nouns denoting substances
Synonyms:
leaven; leavening
Hypernyms ("leavening" is a kind of...):
substance (a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "leavening"):
baking powder (any of various powdered mixtures used in baking as a substitute for yeast)
sourdough (a leaven of dough in which fermentation is active; used by pioneers for making bread)
barm; yeast (a commercial leavening agent containing yeast cells; used to raise the dough in making bread and for fermenting beer or whiskey)
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