the membrane lining the fourth stomach (abomasum) of a young calf
b.
the stomach of certain other young animals
2.
a substance, containing the enzyme rennin, prepared esp from the stomachs of calves and used for curdling milk in making cheese and junket
Word origin
C15: related to Old English gerinnan to curdle, run
rennet in American English
(ˈrɛnɪt)
noun
1.
a.
the membrane lining the stomach of an unweaned animal, esp. the fourth stomach of a calf
b.
the contents of such a stomach
2.
a.
an extract of this membrane or of the stomach contents, containing rennin and used to curdlemilk, as in making cheese or junket
b.
any substance used to curdle milk
3.
rennin
Word origin
ME rennen, to cause to coagulate < OE gerennan < ge-, together (see co-) + Gmc *rannjan, to cause to run < base of *rinnan (> run) + *-jan, caus. suffix