bread-and-but·ter
ˈbred-ən(d)-ˈbə-tər 
1
a
: being as basic as the earning of one's livelihood
bread-and-butter issues
b(1)
: reliable
our bread-and-butter repertoire
(2)
: dependable as a source of income
a company's bread-and-butter products
2
: sent or given as thanks for hospitality
a bread-and-butter letter
: a means of sustenance or livelihood
Examples of bread-and-butter in a Sentence
Noun
Casual clothing has always been the company's bread and butter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Wynne, WWD, 7 Feb. 2025
Our investment thesis is predicated on some level of success in these more nascent product categories, not just the bread-and-butter content delivery, DDoS protection, and web application firewalls (WAF) that Cloudflare made its name with.
—Stockstory Team, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
Ange Postecoglou has a habit of choking on bread and butter, but Europe is keeping him sane.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bread-and-butter 
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Adjective
Buyers praised a stronger categorization of the offer among brands, with better segmentation between workwear and outdoor styles that are the bread-and-butter of the commercial offer at both events.
—Alex Wynne, WWD, 7 Feb. 2025
Our investment thesis is predicated on some level of success in these more nascent product categories, not just the bread-and-butter content delivery, DDoS protection, and web application firewalls (WAF) that Cloudflare made its name with.
—Stockstory Team, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
Noun
The question about a value trap, in this case, would be if Alphabet’s artificial intelligence revenue growth were to be offset by slower-than-expected growth, or even a decline, in the company’s bread and butter search business.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
Ange Postecoglou has a habit of choking on bread and butter, but Europe is keeping him sane.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bread-and-butter
Dictionary Entries Near bread-and-butter
Cite this Entry
“Bread-and-butter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bread-and-butter. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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