Sourdough Bread Terminology
Before you dive headfirst into the wonderful world of sourdough bread, it helps to learn the lingo. Trust me—understanding the basic terms will make the process feel far less intimidating and much more enjoyable.
This is Part 2 of my sourdough series. If you missed Part 1, [For the Love of Sourdough Bread], be sure to check it out first—it lays the groundwork and shares the heart behind the sourdough craze.
When I first started, I found myself stumbling over terms like “autolyse” and “hydration”—I had no idea what half of it meant! That’s why I created this quick and simple guide to sourdough terminology—to help you feel more confident and set you up for success in the kitchen.
Let’s break it down together—one term at a time.
This is a beginner-friendly list—there’s definitely more to learn as you go, but this will give you everything you need to get started and successfully bake your first loaf. My goal is to keep things simple so you don’t feel as overwhelmed as I did in the beginning 😊
Sourdough Bread Terminology: The Starter, Leaven & Hooch
The starter is exactly what it says, the combination of flour and water that begins your sourdough bread process.
Sourdough bread does not require yeast like other breads. Instead, it is fermented by the process of feeding and growing. Once ready, it will now be called your leaven.
You will continue to feed your starter so that you can continue to make leaven to bake your bread.
The Leaven. This is your risen starter ready for baking. This is what you will use in your recipe when you are ready to make your bread.
I started my sourdough journey from scratch back in 2020, and yes—like many sourdough bakers—I gave my starter a name: Lottie 😊. A sourdough starter has its own little life cycle. When consistently fed for 7–10 days, it begins to ferment, rise, and form those beautiful tiny bubbles.
Your starter is what you’ll use to create your leaven. When your leaven is ready to bake with, it will typically double in size within 6–8 hours of feeding (sometimes a bit longer during colder months). A quick way to test its readiness? Drop a small spoonful in water—if it floats, it’s good to go!
If it sits out too long or is in the refrigerator too long without being fed, it can develop a hooch. A hooch indicates it requires feeding and is, therefore, not ready to bake. You want your leaven to be at the peak of rising for a good bake.
Hooch. Fermented alcohol is released by the yeasts in your starter, creating a clear liquid at the top of your starter. This is a sign that your starter needs to be fed.
Sourdough Bread Terminology: Activation & Autolyse
Activation. The goal of activation is to have a starter that peaks in activity and volume within 6-8 hours, indicating a high level of rise power for use as leavening.
Autolyse. The gentle mixing of the flour and water in a bread recipe, followed by a 20-minute rest period. This occurs when you combine your ingredients.
My recipe calls for five ingredients: leaven, filtered water, salt, honey, and flour. I mix the five ingredients, only using two of the three cups of flour. After 20 minutes, I then add the additional flour and mix.
Sourdough Bread Terminology: Feeding, Kneading & Stretching
To prepare a leaven for baking, you must feed your starter to achieve the leaven.
Feeding. In a new jar (ALWAYS use a new jar), combine starter, flour, and water in a specific ratio to ensure the starter has the food it needs to stay healthy and active. A flattened starter or hooch on top indicates the need for feeding.
My recipe requires 2 Tablespoons of starter, 1/2 cup of flour, and a half cup of tap water. (Do not use filtered water at this point in the process). You need the bacteria in tap water to feed the starter.
Knead-the process of working the dough with your hands. After the autolyze process and the addition of the final cup of flour, it is time to knead your dough.
My recipe calls for 5 minutes of kneading. To knead is to work (moistened flour) into dough with your hands. Use your palms to push down and your fingers to fold back.
Stretch and Fold. The action of stretching and folding to the four corners of your dough to aerate and create air bubbles within the dough. There are varying recipes and methods out there. Each recipe will have stretch and fold instructions and stretch times.
Sourdough Bread Terminology: Score, Lame, & Dutch Oven
To Score the boule: A cut or slash made in the dough just before placing it in the oven. This technique is both functional and decorative.
Scoring serves a practical purpose—it lets steam escape so your crust doesn’t burst in unexpected places. But it also adds a beautiful finishing touch to your loaf. It’s a chance to get creative, try out different designs, and have a little fun with your bread baking!
Lame. A long, thin stick made to hold a metal razor used to cut or score the bread dough. It is very sharp, so be careful when handling the blade. I may have given myself a few cuts along the way 😘.
Dutch Oven. A Dutch oven is a heavy, wide, shallow pot with a tight-fitting lid and is traditionally enamel cast iron. This is the pot you bake your sourdough bread in.
Sourdough Bread Terminology: Boule, Pulling & Tucking
Boule. The shape of the bread. It is the French word for ball. The boule is formed with a series of pulling and tucking the dough to give you a nice, rounded, taught surface for the crust. You can check out YouTube for videos showing you how to form the boule.
Learning the language of sourdough might feel a little overwhelming at first, but once you start baking, these terms will quickly become second nature. Just like your starter, your knowledge will grow and strengthen over time.
I hope this beginner’s guide gives you the confidence to read recipes with clarity and approach your sourdough journey with excitement (instead of confusion!).
So keep going, keep learning, and most of all—have fun with it. The beauty of sourdough is in the process, the patience, and the joy that comes from creating something meaningful with your own hands.
Happy baking, friend! 🥖💛
Kim
P.S. If you have questions or want to share your sourdough success, I’d love to hear from you—send me a message or tag me on Instagram!
Your next blog post in the series is here ⤵️
