milk

1 of 3

noun

ˈmilk 

plural milks

1

a

: a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young

b(1)

: milk from an animal and especially a cow used as food by people

(2)

: a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow's milk

vegan milk

dairy-free milks

see also almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk

2

: a liquid resembling milk in appearance: such as

a

: the latex of a plant

b

: the contents of an unripe kernel of grain

3

: lactation

cows in milk

milk

2 of 3

verb

milked; milking; milks

transitive verb

1

a(1)

: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of

(2)

obsolete : suckle sense 2

b

: to draw (milk) from the breast or udder

c

: suckle sense 1

—used of domestic animals

2

: to draw something from as if by milking: such as

a

: to induce (a snake) to eject venom

b

: to draw or coerce profit or advantage from illicitly or to an extreme degree : exploit

milk the joke for all it's worth

intransitive verb

: to draw or yield milk

milk

3 of 3

adjective

: giving milk

specifically : bred or suitable primarily for milk production

milk cows

Synonyms

Verb

• use
• exploit
• abuse
• leverage
• manipulate
• pimp
• walk on
• cash in (on)
• play (on or upon)

Examples of milk in a Sentence

Noun

cheese made from sheep's milk

a glass of low-fat milk

Verb

greedy landlords milking their tenants of all their money

unscrupulous people trying to milk the welfare system for all it's worth

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Arguing with yourself over every non-essential purchase Few consumers think twice about buying staples: Bread, milk, toilet paper and such. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 July 2025

Sheep's Milk Sheep's milk is exceptionally high in fat and protein, outstripping cow's milk and goat's milk. —Maxine Lipner, Verywell Health, 9 July 2025

Verb

Every day year round, a farmer is working their fields, milking the cows, shearing a sheep or harvesting the fruits of their labor. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2025

The cast and Roach were asked about their favorite lines, with the early dinner, in which Stiller’s character describes milking a cat, getting a couple of shout-outs. —Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2025

Adjective

The beer was cold and good, the local sheep’s milk cheese pungent and delicious. —Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2019

The protein Perfect Day uses may not come from cow milk, but it’s still technically milk protein—and that’s what’s printed on the ingredients list, because that’s how the US Food and Drug Administration regulates product labeling. —Chase Purdy, Quartz, 11 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English meolc, milc; akin to Old High German miluh "milk," Old English melcan "to milk" — more at emulsion

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a(1)

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing milk

• almond milk
• certified milk
• coconut milk
• condensed milk
• cry over spilled milk
• evaporated milk
• ice milk
• land of milk and honey
• malted milk
• milk-and-water
• milk/bleed/suck (someone or something) dry
• milk chocolate
• milk crate
• milk fat
• milk fever
• milk float
• milk glass
• milk house
• milk leg
• milk-livered
• milk of magnesia
• milk punch
• milk run
• milk shake
• milk sickness
• milk snake
• milk stout
• milk sugar
• milk thistle
• milk tooth
• milk vein
• milk vetch
• oat milk
• semi-skimmed milk
• skim milk
• soy milk
• the milk of human kindness
• top milk

Rhymes for milk

• ilk
• silk
• whilk
• wilk
• buttermilk

Kids Definition

milk

1 of 3 noun

ˈmilk 

1

: a whitish liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals as food for their young

especially : cow's milk used as food by human beings

2

: a liquid (as the juice of a coconut) like milk

milk

2 of 3 verb

1

: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of (as by pressing or sucking)

milk a cow

2

: to draw or yield milk

return in time for milking

3

: to draw something from as if by milking

milker noun

milk

3 of 3 adjective

: giving milk

especially : bred for milk production

a milk cow

Medical Definition

milk

1 of 2 noun

ˈmilk 

1

a

: a fluid secreted by the mammary glands of females for the nourishment of their young

b(1)

: milk from an animal and especially a cow used as food by people

(2)

: a food product produced from seeds or fruit that resembles and is used similarly to cow's milk

coconut milk

soy milk

2

: lactation sense 2

cows in milk

milk

2 of 2 transitive verb

1

a

: to draw milk from the breasts or udder of

b

: to draw (milk) from the breast or udder

2

: to induce (a snake) to eject venom

intransitive verb

: to draw or yield milk

Geographical Definition

Milk

geographical name

ˈmilk 

river 625 miles (1006 kilometers) long in the Canadian province of Alberta and the U.S. state of Montana; flows southeast into the Missouri River