ferment
verb /fəˈment/
/fərˈment/
[intransitive, transitive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they ferment | /fəˈment/ /fərˈment/ |
| he / she / it ferments | /fəˈments/ /fərˈments/ |
| past simple fermented | /fəˈmentɪd/ /fərˈmentɪd/ |
| past participle fermented | /fəˈmentɪd/ /fərˈmentɪd/ |
| -ing form fermenting | /fəˈmentɪŋ/ /fərˈmentɪŋ/ |
- to experience a chemical change because of the action of yeast or bacteria, often changing sugar to alcohol; to make something change in this way
- Fruit juices ferment if they are kept for too long.
- (figurative) A blend of emotions fermented inside her.
- ferment something Red wine is fermented at a higher temperature than white.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French ferment (noun), fermenter (verb), based on Latin fermentum ‘yeast’, from fervere ‘to boil’.