lactate

1 of 2

noun

lac·​tate ˈlak-ˌtāt 

: a salt or ester of lactic acid

lactate

2 of 2

verb

lactated; lactating

intransitive verb

: to secrete milk

Examples of lactate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The brand’s Daily Nourish Body Lotion keeps things refreshingly simple, pairing 12% ammonium lactate with moisturizing glycerin, mineral oil, and not much else. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026

The lactate signal is a performance indicator for athletes and a potential sign of sepsis or organ failure. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026

Verb

In the non-lactating breast, more than half the volume is fat and connective tissue rather than milk-making tissue, and the gland only expands substantially during pregnancy and nursing. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Colostrum is the first milk produced by lactating cows, containing the antibodies necessary for newborn calves to fight infections. — Joey Schamber, jsonline.com, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin lactatus, past participle of lactare, from lact-, lac

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1794, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing lactate

• lactate dehydrogenase

Rhymes for lactate

• tractate

Kids Definition

lactate

verb

lac·​tate

ˈlak-ˌtāt

lactated; lactating

: to give off milk

lactation

lak-ˈtā-shən

noun

Medical Definition

lactate

1 of 2 noun

lac·​tate ˈlak-ˌtāt 

: a salt or ester of lactic acid

lactate

2 of 2 intransitive verb

lactated; lactating

: to secrete milk