Fermentive

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A type of agent that facilitates the conversion of sugars into alcohol or acids through microbial action
2. Referring to substances that induce biochemical fermentation processes in various organic materials
3. Having the property of initiating or supporting the fermentation process in substances

Etymology: "Fermentive" is formed from "ferment" with the adjectival suffix "-ive," which denotes a tendency or capacity to do something. "Ferment" itself comes from Latin "fermentum," meaning yeast or leaven, which is related to "fervere," to boil or seethe, a reference to the bubbling produced when yeast acts on sugar. The adjective simply means having the power to ferment, that is, to bring about the chemical breakdown of sugars, typically into alcohol and carbon dioxide. A fermentive agent is one that drives this process, such as a yeast or bacterium.

Synonyms: fermenting, fermentable, producing, yeast-like, alcoholic

Antonyms: non-fermentative, inert, stable, preserved, inactive