German word

Butter

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈbʊtɐ/

Meaning

  • feminine nounbutter

Example

Ich nehme die Butter aus dem Kühlschrank.

I take the butter out of the fridge.

Illustration for Butter (butter)

More examples

Beim Braten gebe ich Butter in die Pfanne.

When frying, I put butter in the pan.

Core concept

A cool, smooth yellow block of dairy fat ready to spread, melt, or blend into food.

Common phrases

  • ein Stück Butter

    a piece of butter

  • Butter auf dem Brot

    butter on the bread

  • Butter in der Pfanne

    butter in the pan

Similar words

Margarine: A soft spread made from plant oils, often used on bread.
Fett: The oily or fatty part found in food.
Sahne: A white liquid dairy product made from milk, often used in cooking.

Definition in German

Ein aus Rahm hergestelltes, leicht streichbares Milchfettprodukt, das als Aufstrich sowie zum Braten und Backen dient.

Word origin

German Butter comes through Old High German butera from Latin butyrum, which was borrowed from Greek boutyron.

Usage tips

  • Butter is feminine in German, so the definite article is die, as in die Butter aus dem Kühlschrank.

Opposites

Related words

  • butternbutterverb
  • butterigbutteryadjective
  • Butterbrotbuttered breadnoun

Word lists with this word