Curdy

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Resembling or having the texture of curds; lumpy or grainy in consistency; pertaining to or resembling coagulated milk products
2. Characterized by a thickened, chunky texture similar to clotted milk solids; describing substances that have separated into lumps; relating to dairy curd formations
3. Having a coarse, uneven texture often caused by curdling; indicative of milk or cream that has solidified into lumps; used to describe curd-like or cheese-related qualities

Etymology: "Curdy" is a simple formation: the noun "curd" with the adjective-forming suffix "-y", meaning "full of or having the qualities of." Curd itself is the older and more basic word, and "curdy" just describes something that has the character of curds, the solid lumps that form when milk sours or is treated with acid or rennet. Because the suffix is so productive in English, "curdy" needed no special coinage; it follows the same pattern as "milky," "creamy," or "lumpy." The sense is largely physical. A curdy sauce or a curdy custard is one whose smooth texture has broken into grainy clumps, which is why the word carries a note of coarseness as well as a link to dairy. The same suffix works the same way across English, so the word's history is essentially the history of "curd" with a familiar ending attached.

Synonyms: lumpy, clotted, coagulated

Antonyms: smooth, liquid