dairy

noun

ˈder-ē 

plural dairies

often attributive

1

: a room, building, or establishment where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made

2

a

: the department of farming or of a farm that is concerned with the production of milk, butter, and cheese

b

: a farm devoted to such production

3

: an establishment for the sale or distribution chiefly of milk and milk products

4

: milk from a cow or other domestic animal (such as a goat)

also : food (such as ice cream, cheese, or yogurt) made primarily of or from milk

dairy adjective

dairy products

Examples of dairy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The course was built in 1929 by renowned Scottish architect Donald Ross on what used to be a dairy farm. —Chase Jordan january 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026

Canada’s dairy supply management continues to restrict market access for American and Mexican producers. —Diego Marroquin Bitar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026

The theory that dairy increases mucus production has not been proven. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 13 Jan. 2026

Since the 1977 report, scores of other scientific studies, involving thousands, have clearly established a strong association between consumption of meat and dairy products and elevated incidences of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and certain types of cancer. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deierie, dayerye, borrowed from Anglo-French deyerie, daerie, from Middle English deie, daie "woman in charge of milking and making butter and cheese" (going back to Old English dǣge "female baker, female servant," going back to Germanic *daigjōn—whence also Old Norse deigja "female servant"— derivative of *daiga- dough) + Anglo-French -erie -ery (after botelerie "wine cellar," paneterie "bread shop, pantry")

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dairy

• dairy cattle

Rhymes for dairy

• aerie
• airy
• arie
• barre
• cherry
• clary
• eyrie
• faerie
• faery
• fairy
• ferry
• hairy

Kids Definition

dairy

noun

ˈde(ə)r-ē 

da(ə)r-

plural dairies

1

: a place where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made

2

: a farm devoted to the production of milk

3

: a company that sells milk and milk products

4

: milk from a cow or other domestic animal (as a goat)

also : food (as ice cream, cheese, or yogurt) made primarily of or from milk