bread-and-butter
[ bred-n-buht-er ]
/ ˈbrɛd nˈbʌt ər /
adjective
providing a livelihood or basic source of income; supplying the basic needs of life: a bread-and-butter job; the agency's bread-and-butter account.
of or relating to basic needs: housing and other bread-and-butter political issues.
basic or everyday; staple; routine.
expressing thanks for hospitality: a bread-and-butter letter.
Origin of bread-and-butter
First recorded in 1720–30; adj. use of noun phrase
bread and butter
Words nearby bread-and-butter
bread knife,
bread line,
bread mold,
bread mould,
bread sauce,
bread-and-butter,
bread-and-butter letter,
bread-and-butter model,
bread-and-butter pickle,
breadbasket,
breadboard
Definition for bread-and-butter (2 of 2)
bread and butter
noun
bread spread with butter.
a basic means of support; source of livelihood; sustenance: The automobile industry is the bread and butter of many Detroiters.
Origin of bread and butter
First recorded in 1620–30
Example sentences from the Web for bread-and-butter
British Dictionary definitions for bread-and-butter
bread and butter
/ informal /
noun
(modifier)
a means of support or subsistence; livelihood
the inheritance was their bread and butter
bread-and-butter
- providing a basic means of subsistencea bread-and-butter job
- solid, reliable, or practicala bread-and-butter player
- expressing gratitude, as for hospitality (esp in the phrase bread-and-butter letter)
Idioms and Phrases with bread-and-butter
bread and butter
The essential, sustaining element, as in The quality of the schools is the bread and butter of town property values. This idiom alludes to a basic food, bread spread with butter. [c. 1700]
Means of livelihood, as in John's job is the family's bread and butter. [First half of 1700s]
Ordinary, routine, as in Don't worry about it; this is just a bread and butter assignment. [Second half of 1800s]