milk

1 of 3

noun

ˈmilk How to pronounce milk (audio)
plural milks
Synonyms of milknext
1
a
: a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young
b(1)
: milk from an animal and especially a cow used as food by people
(2)
: a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow's milk
vegan milk
dairy-free milks
see also almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk
2
: a liquid resembling milk in appearance: such as
a
: the latex of a plant
b
: the contents of an unripe kernel of grain
3
: lactation
cows in milk

milk

2 of 3

verb

milked; milking; milks

transitive verb

1
a(1)
: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of
(2)
obsolete : suckle sense 2
b
: to draw (milk) from the breast or udder
c
: suckle sense 1
—used of domestic animals
2
: to draw something from as if by milking: such as
a
: to induce (a snake) to eject venom
b
: to draw or coerce profit or advantage from illicitly or to an extreme degree : exploit
milk the joke for all it's worth

intransitive verb

: to draw or yield milk

milk

3 of 3

adjective

: giving milk
specifically : bred or suitable primarily for milk production
milk cows

Synonyms

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of milk in a Sentence

Noun cheese made from sheep's milk a glass of low-fat milk Verb greedy landlords milking their tenants of all their money unscrupulous people trying to milk the welfare system for all it's worth
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In addition to kojic acid, this Best of Beauty Award winner includes the brand's signature goat milk, which is rich in fatty acids that help moisturize and strengthen the skin barrier. — Deanna Pai, Allure, 12 Mar. 2025 The recall was issued due to undeclared milk, which could pose a serious risk for those with dairy allergies. — Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Verb
Soon after, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine research revealed that bird flu remains active on milking equipment for one hour or longer. — William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 Both Baryshnikov and Mendes, whose character balances a fine line between supporting Margarita in the competition and milking her for good reality TV content, recall wanting to sign onto the project while about two pages into the script. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
The beer was cold and good, the local sheep’s milk cheese pungent and delicious. — Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2019 The protein Perfect Day uses may not come from cow milk, but it’s still technically milk protein—and that’s what’s printed on the ingredients list, because that’s how the US Food and Drug Administration regulates product labeling. — Chase Purdy, Quartz, 11 July 2019 See All Example Sentences for milk

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English meolc, milc; akin to Old High German miluh "milk," Old English melcan "to milk" — more at emulsion

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of milk was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing milk

Rhymes for milk

See All Rhymes for milk

Browse Nearby Words

milk
Milk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Milk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milk. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

milk

1 of 3 noun
ˈmilk How to pronounce milk (audio)
1
: a whitish liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals as food for their young
especially : cow's milk used as food by human beings
2
: a liquid (as the juice of a coconut) like milk

milk

2 of 3 verb
1
: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of (as by pressing or sucking)
milk a cow
2
: to draw or yield milk
return in time for milking
3
: to draw something from as if by milking
milker noun

milk

3 of 3 adjective
: giving milk
especially : bred for milk production
a milk cow

Medical Definition

milk

1 of 2 noun
ˈmilk How to pronounce milk (audio)
1
a
: a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young
b(1)
: milk from an animal and especially a cow used as food by people
(2)
: a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow's milk
coconut milk
soy milk
2
: lactation sense 2
cows in milk

milk

2 of 2 transitive verb
1
a
: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of
b
: to draw (milk) from the breast or udder
2
: to induce (a snake) to eject venom

intransitive verb

: to draw or yield milk

Geographical Definition

Milk

geographical name

ˈmilk How to pronounce Milk (audio)
river 625 miles (1006 kilometers) long in the Canadian province of Alberta and the U.S. state of Montana; flows southeast into the Missouri River

More from Merriam-Webster on milk

Nglish: Translation of milk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about milk

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