# curd

/ˈkɝd/ (US) · /kˈɜːd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/curd
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

a thick, white substance that forms when milk is heated or left to sit. It is the base for making cheese and yogurt.

For teachers: a thickened, semi-solid mass of milk protein that results from the acidification of milk or the addition of rennet. It is the primary precursor to various dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.

## Examples

- The milk turned into curd after we added the lemon juice.
- The farmer used a traditional method to turn fresh milk into curd before pressing it into blocks of cheese.
- The process of cheese-making begins with the careful coagulation of milk into curd, which is then cut and heated to release the liquid whey before being aged.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.