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Leaven vs Leafen - What's the difference?

leaven | leafen |

As a noun leaven

is any agent used to make dough rise or to have a similar effect on baked goods.

As a verb leaven

is to add a leavening agent.

As an adjective leafen is

formed in leaves.

leaven

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any agent used to make dough rise or to have a similar effect on baked goods.
  • (figurative) Anything that makes a general assimilating (especially a corrupting) change in the mass.
  • * Bible, Luke xii. 1
  • Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

    Derived terms

    * leavenless * natural leaven

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To add a leavening agent.
  • To cause to rise by fermentation.
  • (figuratively) To temper an action or decision.
  • *
  • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.
  • * Milton
  • With these and the like deceivable doctrines, he leavens also his prayer.

    Derived terms

    * leavened * leavening * unleavened

    See also

    * yeast

    leafen

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Formed in leaves.
  • leafen gold