leaven

Plural: leavens

Noun

a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid
an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something
- "his sermons benefited from a leavening of humor"
Any agent used to make dough rise or to have a similar effect on baked goods.
Anything that induces change, especially a corrupting or vitiating change.
Chametz.

Verb

Verb Forms: leavened, leavening, leavens

To cause to rise or lighten, typically by fermentation.
cause to puff up with a leaven
- "unleavened bread"
To add a leavening agent.
To cause to rise by fermentation.
To temper an action, decision, attitude, characteristic, etc.
To imbue; to infect; to vitiate.
To rise or become larger; to prove.

Examples

A well-placed ’X’ can LEAVEN a low-scoring word into a respectable play.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English levayn, borrowed from Old French levain, from Vulgar Latin *levāmen, a noun based on Latin levō (“raise”).

Synonyms

leavening, prove, raise, leavening agent, raising agent

Scrabble Score: 9

leaven: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
leaven: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
leaven: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

leaven: valid Words With Friends Word