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

Farmers working with the program provide dairy, seafood, peanut butter and a variety of produce. —Romy Ellenbogen, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025

So focus on eating enough nuts (walnuts may also support sleep), legumes, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy, and whole grains to improve sleep outcomes. —Kristen Fischer, Health, 30 Oct. 2025

Farmland and massive processing plants for dairy, nuts and produce line the roads between Merced and Bakersfield, the heart of each district. —Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025

About 2 million people in the United States work in a range of occupational activities involving animals, such as livestock confinement, dairy farming, researchers and animal handlers, according to an article published by Science Direct. —Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025

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