milk thistle

noun

: a tall thistle (Silybum marianum) having white-veined dark green leaves and large purple flower heads that is native to the Mediterranean region but has become naturalized elsewhere including the U.S.
also : an extract of milk thistle and especially its seeds that is held to protect the liver from damage or disease

Examples of milk thistle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The formula is lightweight, and has vitamin C plus milk thistle to gently and effectively soften and protect the hair and scalp from UV rays. Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 24 June 2025 Like daikons and comfrey, milk thistle’s long, penetrating roots draw nutrients up from deep in the soil and aerate dense garden beds. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2025 The cream is formulated with key ingredients such as arctic marine ferment for improving discoloration and texture, milk thistle and bearberry extract for their smoothing benefits, and pullulan for firming and targeting loose and crepey skin. Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 2 May 2025 Some notable ingredients include milk thistle, known to support liver health, and dihydromyricetin, which could increase the speed alcohol is metabolized. Emily Burns, WWD, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for milk thistle

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of milk thistle was in 1562

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Cite this Entry

“Milk thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milk%20thistle. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

milk thistle

noun
milk this·​tle -ˈthis-əl How to pronounce milk thistle (audio)
1
: a tall thistle (Silybum marianum) that is the source of silymarin, has large clasping white-blotched leaves and large purple flower heads with bristly receptacles, and is native to southern Europe but has been widely introduced elsewhere including the United States
2
: an extract of milk thistle and especially its seeds : silymarin
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