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

Choose lean sources of protein such as poultry, fish, tofu, legumes, eggs and low-fat dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese. —Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026

Under the new deal, the EU will access new markets for products, such as agri-food like pork, dairy, cereals, fruit and pasta, as well as pharmaceuticals and machinery. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 May 2026

In 2022, Misfits acquired competitor Imperfect Foods and eventually expanded into full grocery offerings that also include pantry items, snacks, meat, seafood, dairy, coffee, fresh food, wellness products and more. —Jess Cording, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Four people were injured in an electrical incident at a dairy facility in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, according to the Dairy Farmers of America. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 27 May 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