sour cream: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1everyday, culinary
Quick answer
What does “sour cream” mean?
A dairy product made by fermenting cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria, resulting in a thick, tangy substance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A dairy product made by fermenting cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria, resulting in a thick, tangy substance.
A common culinary ingredient used as a topping, dip, or cooking component in various cuisines, known for its rich texture and acidic flavour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term identically. No significant lexical or conceptual differences exist.
Connotations
Associated with Eastern European, Mexican, and American cuisine in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, though specific brand names or local dairy terminology may vary.
Grammar
How to Use “sour cream” in a Sentence
[to serve] X [with sour cream][to top] X [with sour cream][to mix] sour cream [with Y]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sour cream” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- [Rarely used attributively] e.g., 'a sour-cream dressing'.
American English
- [Rarely used attributively] e.g., 'sour-cream dip'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in the food industry, agriculture, and retail contexts related to dairy products.
Academic
Appears in food science, nutritional studies, and cultural anthropology regarding cuisine.
Everyday
Extremely common in cooking instructions, recipes, restaurant menus, and grocery shopping.
Technical
Used in dairy science referring to a product of lactic fermentation with a specific fat content and bacterial culture.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sour cream”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sour cream”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sour cream”
- Confusing it with 'creme fraiche' (less tangy, thicker) or 'yoghurt'. Misspelling as 'sourcream' (should be two words or hyphenated in some older styles).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sour cream has a lower fat content (around 20%) and a more pronounced tangy flavour due to different bacterial cultures. Creme fraiche is thicker, richer (higher fat), and less sour.
In many recipes, plain Greek yoghurt can be a reasonable substitute for sour cream, especially in baking or dips, though the flavour and texture will be slightly different.
Sour cream can curdle if exposed to high, direct heat or boiled. To prevent this, it's often stirred in at the end of cooking or tempered with a little warm liquid first.
It is conventionally written as two separate words ('sour cream'). The hyphenated form 'sour-cream' is sometimes seen when used as a modifier before a noun (e.g., sour-cream doughnut).
A dairy product made by fermenting cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria, resulting in a thick, tangy substance.
Sour cream is usually everyday, culinary in register.
Sour cream: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsaʊə ˈkriːm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsaʊ(ə)r ˈkriːm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'sour' (tangy taste) + 'cream' (dairy base) = the fermented dairy topping.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often conceptualised as a 'cooling' or 'balancing' agent for spicy food (e.g., on chilli).
Practice
Quiz
What is a key characteristic of sour cream?