teat

noun \ ˈtit , ˈtēt \

Updated on: 5 Apr 2018

Definition of teat

1 : the protuberance through which milk is drawn from an udder or breast : nipple

2 : a small projection or a nib (as on a mechanical part)

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teated

play \ˈti-təd, ˈtē-\ adjective

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Recent Examples of teat from the Web

The babies make their way to mama's pouch where only 13 teats are available.

— cheryl conley, Houston Chronicle, "Totally awesome opossum help us fight bugs, snakes," 20 Mar. 2018
For an elephant, keepers had to trick a nursing mother into letting them stimulate one of her teats.

— serena solomon, New York Times, "Saving Koalas, and Other Marsupials, With Milk Almost as Good as Mom’s," 24 Feb. 2018
The 27-year-old full-back escaped unhurt but is said to have failed a breathalyzer teat after the 5.30am crash in the streets of the Italian capital.

— afp, chicagotribune.com, "Roma drop, fine Bruno Peres after car carsh," 10 Feb. 2018
The dog’s teats are full and four puppies stay close by.

— sarah fowler, The Seattle Times, "$10K donated to woman living in poverty, collapsing home," 19 Jan. 2018
The latest films, released Thursday, appear to show workers using blowtorches to sear off the hairs of the cows’ udders to sanitize teats before milking, and PVC piping affixed with knife-like protrusions to prod the animals.

— anne geggis, Sun-Sentinel.com, "3 arrested as videos of alleged cow torture emerge at another Florida dairy," 15 Dec. 2017
The platypus's milk seeps through pores in its abdomen, not through teats as in all other mammals.

— National Geographic, "How the Venomous, Egg-Laying Platypus Evolved," 30 July 2016
There is no waiting for Josh Gordon to finally pass enough drug teats to be eligible.

— terry pluto, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Browns Scribbles on quarterbacks, rookies, lack of drama -- Terry Pluto (photos)," 26 July 2017
Pulling the joey from its mother, Midson then cut the mother's teat, on which the joey was still suckling.

— National Geographic, "See a Baby Kangaroo Rescued From Dead Mother's Pouch," 1 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'teat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of teat

Middle English tete, in part from Old English tit; in part from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English tit teat, Middle High German zitze

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First Known Use: 12th century

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