lactation

noun

lac·​ta·​tion lak-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce lactation (audio)
plural lactations
1
: the production and secretion of milk by the mammary glands
… there may be overproduction of prolactin, the breast milk hormone. A sign of that might be abnormal lactation.Paul G. Donohue
When a doe kids and begins lactation, she must draw on the calcium stored in her bones to furnish enough blood calcium for milk production.David B. Weems
lactation rooms where mothers can express milk for baby.Shawn Tully
… the infants of mothers given the names of lactation support groups or individuals instead are more likely to be fully breast-feeding at four months.Barbara Quick
2
: one complete period of lactation extending from about the time of birthing to weaning
… cows fed 1.1 percent bicarb in the total ration produced an average 17,587 lbs. of milk per lactationEastern Milk Producer
lactational adjective
lactational mastitis

Examples of lactation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Since then the organization has created a range of Changemaker grants for athlete moms and caregivers to cover things like childcare, family travel, and mental health and lactation aid. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 1 Feb. 2024 Prolactin prepares breast tissues for lactation and the release of milk. Lambeth Hochwald, Parents, 7 Jan. 2024 Your company’s lactation room goes above and beyond those requirements. Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 Those commitments included raising the parental leave allowance from six to 10 weeks, guaranteeing union representation for faculty when interacting with campus police, improving access to lactation spaces and gender-inclusive restrooms and providing support for lecturer engagement in service work. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Feb. 2024 Each set of restrooms now has a men’s room, a women’s room, a family room, an adult change room and a lactation room. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 3 Feb. 2024 McHardy said common health issues such as high blood pressure can lead to lactation issues. Campbell Roper, arkansasonline.com, 18 Dec. 2023 For all those reasons — legal, physiological and personal — limiting the lactation room to one purpose is the simplest option for your employer. Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2023 Staffers hang out in a lactation pod, in an office where nobody breast-feeds; pledge-drive contributions are heralded with the call of the common loon. Sarah Larson, The New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lactation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lactation was circa 1837

Dictionary Entries Near lactation

Cite this Entry

“Lactation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lactation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

lactation

noun
lac·​ta·​tion lak-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce lactation (audio)
1
: the secretion and yielding of milk by the mammary gland
2
: one complete period of lactation extending from about the time of parturition to weaning
lactational adjective
lactationally adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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