curdling

3 4.5

The forming of small solid lumps in a liquid like milk or cream

noun
/ˈkɜrdlɪŋ/

: coagulación

When the milk reaches a certain temperature, it starts the process of curdling into thick lumps.
a blood-curdling scream

Examples

Soybean milk is curd in liquid form, before gypsum or some other curdling agent has been added to the slurry to coagulate the curd.

Academic text (2001)
The chef explained how the curdling of the cream is essential for making yogurt.
If milk is left out too long, it will eventually begin curdling, forming thick clumps.

Synonyms

clotting

vscurdling

Specialized

18 3.5

Blood becomes thick and forms lumps to stop bleeding

is about forming semisolid lumps in milk rather than blood

coagulation

vscurdling

Specialized

5 6.9

A change when a liquid becomes thick and forms clots, like blood or milk

is this change mainly in milk and similar substances

Antonyms

liquefaction

Specialized

1 7.5

To change a solid or gas into a liquid

How Solid

solidification

Specialized

1 6.8

curdling

3 4.5

thickening

4 4.6

Surface Forms

curdling singular

curdling plural

Morphology

curdling = curdle (transparent) = curdle + ing

Formed by adding the productive participial/gerund suffix '-ing' to the verb 'curdle', so the noun denotes the process/result of curdling; meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

The word curdling comes from the simple noun curd, the soft, solid part of milk you see in 'curds and whey'. So curdling is the process of milk or cream forming 'lumps' or 'solids', which is what happens in cheese making or when milk goes bad.