To cause a liquid (usually milk) to separate into solid curds and liquid whey, often suddenly or undesirably; to coagulate.
From 'curd' plus the diminutive or frequentative suffix '-le,' giving the sense of 'forming curds' or 'tending to separate into curds.' Related to Nordic language roots.
When you 'curdle' milk with acid, you're watching proteins unfold and tangle together—the same process that happens on a massive scale when your stomach acid helps digest milk, which is why some people become lactose intolerant as they age.
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