# loaf

/ˈɫoʊf/ (US) · /lˈəʊf/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/loaf
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

a single piece of bread that has been baked in one shape and can be sliced. You usually buy it whole and cut it into pieces at home.

For teachers: a shaped mass of bread or other food baked in one piece. Often used as a unit of measurement for bread products.

## Examples

- I bought a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery.
- She sliced the entire loaf to make sandwiches for the children's school lunches.
- The artisanal bakery produces a sourdough loaf that requires a forty-eight-hour fermentation process to achieve its characteristic airy texture and thick, dark crust.

## Pitfalls

- Not "two loafs of bread" but "two loaves of bread" — Nouns ending in -af or -af often change to -aves in the plural.

## Usage notes

- The plural form is 'loaves'.

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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.