ferment

C2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /fɚˈmɛnt/ UK /fəˈmɛnt/ See IPA manual

Freq #41541

Meanings

1

noun
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development

The political ferment produced new leadership.
2

verb
cause to undergo fermentation

We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content.
3

verb
work up into agitation or excitement

Islam is fermenting Africa.
4

verb
be in an agitated or excited state

The Middle East is fermenting.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a state of agitation or... agitation

2 verb · cause to undergo fermentation work

More yeast brew simmer

Word family

Forms fermentedfermentingferments

Derived forms apofermentcofermentfermentabilityfermentablefermentalfermentarianfermentatefermentativefermenterfermenticfermentomefermentor

Related forms foment

Common collocations

political ferment Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Middle English ferment, from Middle French ferment, from Latin fermentāre (“to leaven, ferment”), from fermentum (“substance causing fermentation”), from fervēre (“to boil, seethe”). See also fervent.

ferment Middle English fermentō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# ferment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /fɚˈmɛnt/
**IPA (UK):** /fəˈmɛnt/
**Frequency rank:** 41541

## Meanings
1. a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
2. cause to undergo fermentation
3. work up into agitation or excitement
4. be in an agitated or excited state

## Examples
- The political ferment produced new leadership.
- We ferment the grapes for a very long time to achieve high alcohol content.
- Islam is fermenting Africa.
- The Middle East is fermenting.

## Synonyms
- yeast
- agitation
- work
- brew
- simmer

## Derived Forms
- apoferment
- coferment
- fermentability
- fermentable
- fermental
- fermentarian
- fermentate
- fermentative
- fermenter
- fermentic
- fermentome
- fermentor

## Related Forms
- foment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ferment
- Root: fermentō

## Etymology
From Middle English ferment, from Middle French ferment, from Latin fermentāre (“to leaven, ferment”), from fermentum (“substance causing fermentation”), from fervēre (“to boil, seethe”). See also fervent.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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