Ferment
/fərˈmɛnt/noun
To undergo a chemical change due to the action of enzymes, especially in the process of brewing or baking.
Did you know?In ancient alchemy, fermentation was seen as a mystical process of transformation, linking the mundane to the divine, where substances could be reborn into something greater.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
fermentum
“A bubbling or rising, especially of liquids, suggesting a transformative process.”
Old French
Old French
fermenter
“To cause to boil, to undergo a change.”
Middle English
Middle English
fermenten
“To cause to rise or swell, especially in the context of brewing.”
Modern English
English
ferment
“To undergo a process of change, especially in relation to chemical reactions.”