Curdle
/ˈkɜːr.dəl/noun
To cause a liquid, especially milk, to separate into solid curds and liquid whey, or to become thick and lumpy.
Did you know?The word is historically connected with the idea of pressing or compressing, echoing the physical transformation that forces milk proteins to clump together.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*krūdaną
“To press, push, or force; a reconstructed ancestor associated with compression.”
Old English
Old English
crūdan
“To press or push.”
Middle English
Middle English
crud / crudde
“Curd or a thickened mass formed from milk.”
16th Century
English
curd
“The solid part formed when milk coagulates.”
Late 16th Century
English
curdle
“To make into curd or cause to coagulate.”
Modern English
English
curdle
“To separate, thicken, or become lumpy, especially in reference to milk or another liquid.”