butter

[buht-er]

noun

1. the fatty portion of milk, separating as a soft whitish or yellowish solid when milk or cream is agitated or churned.

2. this substance, processed for cooking and table use.

3. any of various other soft spreads for bread.

   apple butter; peanut butter.

4. any of various substances of butterlike consistency, as various metallic chlorides, and certain vegetable oils solid at ordinary temperatures.

verb (used with object)

1. to put butter on or in; spread or grease with butter.

2. to apply a liquefied bonding material to (a piece or area), as mortar to a course of bricks.

3. Metalworking.,  to cover (edges to be welded together) with a preliminary surface of the weld metal.

verb phrase

1. butter up,  to flatter someone in order to gain a favor.

   He suspected that they were buttering him up when everyone suddenly started being nice to him.

butter

/ ˈbʌtə /

noun

1. 1. an edible fatty whitish-yellow solid made from cream by churning, for cooking and table use

   2. ( as modifier )

      butter icing

2. any substance with a butter-like consistency, such as peanut butter or vegetable butter

3. to look innocent, although probably not so

verb

1. to put butter on or in

2. to flatter

Other Word Forms

• butterless adjective
• butterlike adjective
• unbuttered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of butter¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English butere < Latin būtȳrum < Greek boútȳron

Word History and Origins

Origin of butter¹

Old English butere , from Latin būtyrum , from Greek bouturon , from bous cow + turos cheese

Idioms and Phrases

• bread and butter
• bread-and-butter letter
• know which side of bread is buttered

Example Sentences

And so somewhere, between the hiss of butter and the smell of roasting chicken, she is still there, reminding every cook who’ll listen: “Brown food tastes good.”

From Salon

I ordered my usual: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, candied yams and a biscuit slathered in grape jelly butter.

From Salon

Stew beef and mushrooms sizzle in butter and herbs until browned.

From Salon

Bread & butter pickles aren’t an ideal choice, but they could work for a spicier lemonade that incorporates cayenne pepper and jalapeños.

From Salon

One week, when his defense gave up over 400 rushing yards, he responded by buying huge tubs of peanut butter, convinced more sandwiches could be the key to bulking up his defensive front.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• margarine 
• oil 
• shortening