sourdough

From Middle English sour dogh, equivalent to sour +‎ dough, compare German Sauerteig. 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.^[1][2]

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsaʊəˌdəʊ/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sour‧dough

sourdough (countable and uncountable, plural sourdoughs)

1. A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste.

   Synonym: sourdough bread

2. (countable, slang) An old-timer, especially in Alaska.
   • 1944, Ernie Pyle, Brave Men, University of Nebraska Press (2001), page 80:

     "The troops went for those fresh tomatoes like sourdoughs going for gold in the Klondike."

3. (countable, Yukon) A permanent resident of the territory. Someone who has lived in the Yukon during all four seasons.

   Antonym: cheechako

4. (countable, historical) A 49er, a California Gold Rush miner.
5. (obsolete) Leaven; an agent that makes dough rise.

• (dough): sour dough

• sourdough on Wikipedia.Wikipedia