leaven
gb/lˈɛvən/ us/lˈɛvən/
C1
English
kovász, kelesztőanyag, keleszt, kovászol, színesít, feldob, csipetnyi
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
1
kovász
B2
Usage pattern:
[leaven] for [bread/dough]
This recipe uses a natural leaven instead of commercial yeast.
Ez a recept bolti élesztő helyett természetes kovászt használ.
Without enough leaven, the dough will stay dense.
Ha nincs benne elég kelesztőanyag, a tészta tömör marad.
The baker fed the leaven overnight to make it active by morning.
Learner examples
We need leaven to make the bread rise.
Kelesztőanyagra van szükségünk, hogy a kenyér megkeljen.
This leaven is made from flour and water.
Ez a kovász lisztből és vízből készül.
Common mistake:
Learners often use this when they simply mean yeast; in everyday English, yeast is more common than leaven.
Meaning
yeast or similar raising agent
Collocations
add leaven
|a leaven of yeast
|natural leaven
|wild leaven
|leaven for bread
|leaven in the dough
|a leavening agent
Synonyms
yeast (More common everyday term for the same raising ingredient.)
|
starter (Specifically a sourdough culture used as leaven.)
Antonyms
unleavened (Describes bread made without any raising agent.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|baking
Definition
A substance like yeast that makes bread dough rise.
A substance, especially yeast or sourdough starter, that is added to dough to make it rise.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
2
Usage pattern:
leaven [dough/bread] (with [yeast/starter])
They leaven the dough with a sourdough starter.
Kovásszal kelesztik a tésztát.
The bread is leavened slowly for better flavor.
A jobb íz érdekében lassan kelesztik a kenyeret.
If you don’t leaven it properly, the loaf will be heavy.
Learner examples
I leaven the dough with yeast.
Élesztővel kelesztem a tésztát.
The bread is leavened overnight.
A kenyeret egy éjszakán át kelesztik.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse leaven (make rise) with leave (go away) because of spelling and pronunciation.
Meaning
make dough rise with yeast
Collocations
leaven the dough
|leaven bread
|leaven with yeast
|leaven with sourdough starter
|naturally leavened
|properly leavened
Synonyms
raise (General cooking term meaning make dough rise.)
|
ferment (Focuses on the biological process that causes rising.)
Antonyms
flatten (Opposite effect: make something less risen or less puffy.)
Themes
food
|cooking
|baking
Definition
To make bread dough rise by adding yeast or starter.
To add leaven to dough, or to cause dough to rise by fermentation.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
leaven [something] (with [humor/wit/anecdotes])
She leavened the presentation with a few short stories.
Néhány rövid történettel színesítette az előadást.
The director leavens the film’s dark themes with moments of warmth.
A rendező meghitt pillanatokkal oldja a film sötét témáit.
Try to leaven your feedback with something encouraging.
Learner examples
He leavened the talk with jokes.
Viccekkel színesítette az előadást.
We leavened the lesson with a game.
Egy játékkal tettük színesebbé az órát.
Common mistake:
This figurative use is more formal than 'liven up' and is not common in casual speech.
Meaning
make something less dull
Collocations
leaven the discussion
|leaven the speech
|leaven the report
|leaven criticism with humor
|leaven seriousness with wit
|leaven a lecture with stories
Synonyms
liven up (More informal and common.)
|
enliven (Close in meaning; slightly more neutral than leaven.)
|
lighten (Emphasizes making something feel less serious or heavy.)
Antonyms
dull (Make or become less interesting.)
|
deadend (Not a direct antonym; indicates making something unproductive rather than lively.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|work
Definition
To make something more interesting by adding humor or variety.
To make something serious, dull, or monotonous more interesting or pleasant by adding a different element, especially humor or variety.
NOUN
C2
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
a leaven of [humor/hope/kindness]
Even in the grim report, there was a leaven of optimism.
Még ebben a komor jelentésben is volt egy csipetnyi optimizmus.
His interviews always contain a leaven of irony.
Az interjúiban mindig van egy csipetnyi irónia.
The community group brought a leaven of hope to the neighborhood.
Learner examples
Her message had a leaven of hope.
Az üzenetében volt egy csipetnyi remény.
There was a leaven of humor in his speech.
A beszédében volt egy csipetnyi humor.
Common mistake:
This sense is usually used with 'of' (a leaven of humor), not as a countable thing you can hold.
Meaning
small positive influence
Collocations
a leaven of humor
|a leaven of hope
|a leaven of kindness
|a leaven of truth
|bring a leaven of
|provide a leaven of
Synonyms
touch (A small amount; more informal.)
|
hint (A small sign; focuses on suggestion rather than improvement.)
|
dash (A small amount added; often used for flavor or style.)
Antonyms
gloom (A prevailing sadness with no uplifting element.)
|
monotony (Lack of variety; the opposite of being enlivened.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|society
Definition
A small amount of something good that improves a situation.
A small amount of a quality or influence that makes something better, more active, or more cheerful.
Grammar
Dictionary form
leaven
IPA
GB/lˈɛvən/
US/lˈɛvən/
Syllables & stress
leaven (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (leaven)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: leaven
- Plural: leaven
Verb
- Base: leaven
- 3rd Person Singular: leavens
- Present Participle: leavening
- Past: leavened
Word family
Forms
Negative and opposite forms
unleavened
adjective
Expressions
a leaven of [something]
1/ə lˈɛvən əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
small amount that improves things
A small amount of something good that makes things better.
Examples
- There was a leaven of humor in an otherwise tense meeting.
- The article offers a leaven of hope without denying the risks.
- He spoke with a leaven of generosity, even toward his critics.
Learner examples
- There was a leaven of hope.
- I heard a leaven of humor in her voice.
leaven [something] with [something]
1/lˈɛvən sˈʌmθɪŋ wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
make less serious by adding
To add something (often humor) to make it less boring or harsh.
Examples
- He leavened his criticism with a few sincere compliments.
- The lecturer leavened the theory with practical examples.
- She leavens difficult news with empathy and clear next steps.
Learner examples
- She leavened the story with humor.
- He leavened the report with examples.
leavened bread
1/lˈɛvənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
bread made to rise
Bread that rises because it has yeast or starter.
Examples
- Most sandwich loaves are leavened bread.
- The recipe produces a lightly leavened bread with a crisp crust.
- He prefers leavened bread to flatbreads.
Learner examples
- This is leavened bread.
- Leavened bread is light and soft.
unleavened bread
1/ʌnlˈivənd bɹˈɛd/
fixed phrase
technical
flat bread without yeast
Bread made without yeast, so it does not rise.
Examples
- During the holiday, they ate unleavened bread.
- Unleavened bread bakes quickly because it doesn’t need time to rise.
- The meal included soup and strips of unleavened bread.
Learner examples
- We ate unleavened bread.
- Unleavened bread does not rise.