bread and butter

Meaning

The primary source of income or the fundamental, essential part of a person's work or a company's business.

Examples

• Selling basic office supplies is the bread and butter of this small retail chain.
• While he enjoys experimental projects, teaching remains his bread and butter.

Pronunciation: /ˌbred ən ˈbʌtər/

Synonyms of bread and butter

Words with a similar meaning to bread and butter:

• livelihood
• staple
• breadwinner
• subsistence