kefir

noun

ke·​fir ke-ˈfir How to pronounce kefir (audio) ˈkē-fər How to pronounce kefir (audio) ˈke-fər How to pronounce kefir (audio)
: a beverage of fermented cow's milk

Examples of kefir in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The same principle applies to other cultured dairy—yogurt or kefir work in a similar way. — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2026 Kefir berry and banana smoothie — blend plain kefir with banana, mixed berries, rolled oats and ground flaxseed for a quick drinkable synbiotic breakfast or snack. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 18 May 2026 Water Kefir Water kefir is a vegan and dairy-free alternative to milk kefir. — Merve Ceylan, Health, 29 May 2026 Systolic Blood Pressure May Decrease Research suggests kefir can lower blood pressure, especially systolic blood pressure (the upper number in a blood pressure reading). — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kefir

Word History

Etymology

Russian

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kefir was in 1884

Rhymes for kefir

See All Rhymes for kefir

Browse Nearby Words

keffiyeh
kefir
kefir grain
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Kefir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kefir. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All