milk

1 of 3

noun

plural milks
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

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
Her recipe included ingredients sure to confound egg and butter die-hards: Applesauce, nondairy milk, apple cider vinegar. Will Matsuda, New York Times, 23 May 2025 While peach mixture cools, heat milk in a medium saucepan over low, stirring often, until steam rises and small bubbles begin to form around edges of pan (but do not boil), about 8 minutes. Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 22 May 2025
Verb
Really milk this moment, because everyone else in the scene is so frantic and trying to figure out what's going on. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 14 May 2025 Don’t forget the class switch, either; a triple-shot Combat Shotgun can milk armor after upgrades, and the Shredder is incredibly dependable for lower-risk encounters. Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 14 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Milk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milk. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

milk

1 of 3 noun
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
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

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

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