# margarine

/ˈmɑɹdʒɝən/ (US) · /mˈɑːdʒəɹˌiːn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/margarine
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. butter substitute

noun · CEFR B1

a yellow spread made from vegetable oils that you use on bread or for cooking instead of butter.

For teachers: a fatty food product manufactured from vegetable oils, often hydrogenated, used as a lower-cost or vegan alternative to butter.

- He spread some margarine on his toast because he wanted to avoid dairy.
- The recipe suggests using margarine instead of butter to ensure the cake remains moist and suitable for those with dairy allergies.

### 2. to apply margarine

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal

to put margarine on something, like a slice of bread.

For teachers: to spread or coat a surface with margarine. Transitive, taking the item being coated as the direct object.

- She quickly margarined the bread before making the sandwiches.
- After margarining the baking tin thoroughly, he dusted it with a fine layer of flour to prevent the sponge from sticking.

### 3. fat component

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a specific type of solid fat found in oils or animal fat.

For teachers: the solid constituent of certain animal fats or vegetable oils, such as olive oil. Primarily used in historical chemical contexts.

- Old science books describe margarine as a solid part of human fat.
- Early nineteenth-century chemists isolated margarine from lard, though the term's definition has since shifted entirely toward the commercial food product.

## Examples

- I spread margarine on my toast every morning.
- Many people choose margarine over butter because it is lower in saturated fat and contains more unsaturated fats.
- The shift from traditional animal fats to hydrogenated vegetable oils in the mid-twentieth century led to the widespread popularity of margarine as a healthier alternative.

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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.