whey

play

noun \ˈhwā, ˈwā\

Definition of whey

: the watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat

wheylike

play \ˈhwā-ˌlīk, ˈwā-\ adjective

See whey defined for English-language learners

See whey defined for kids

Examples of whey in a Sentence

The curd has separated from the whey.

Recent Examples of whey from the Web

Today, butter is undergoing an artisanal renaissance akin to chocolate or coffee, with handmade sheep’s butter or hard-to-find whey butter joining the standard stick of sweet cream at the table.

— nicola twilley, The Atlantic, "Butter Is Back", 22 May 2017
The Idaho Conservation League had questioned whether dumping there violated Idaho waste-disposal and groundwater-protection regulations, and whether cattle should be eating the whey byproduct.

— idahostatesman, "Catch up on Idaho business news: May 2017", 16 May 2017
A popular whey protein powder contains 24 grams per scoop.

— dr. manny alvarez, Fox News, "Protein supplements for teens: Are they safe?", 16 May 2017
Inspection clears waste pond for Sorrento wheyThe owner of an Owyhee County feedlot’s dirt pit will stop storing whey byproduct from the Sorrento Lactalis cheese plant in Nampa.

— idahostatesman, "Catch up on Idaho business news: May 2017", 16 May 2017
Fruit juice is mixed with soy and whey protein, but soy lecithin pulled this lower on the nutritional scale.

— nicole tsong, The Seattle Times, "Rating store-bought smoothies", 19 Apr. 2017
A group of whey-faced teenage models are assembled at the Regional Centre of Youth Culture in Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian territory on the Baltic Sea.

— alexander fury, New York Times, "Back in the U.S.S.R.: Russia’s Fashion Resurgence", 18 Apr. 2017
One thing that did nothing to reduce garlic breath: whey protein.

— sarah rense, Esquire, "Here's the Easy Way to Avoid Garlic Breath", 10 Apr. 2017
Somewhere out there, a muscular bro double fisting whey-protein shakes is turning this into an inspirational meme, posting it on his ‘gram with the hashtag #Loyalty.

— yohana desta, VanityFair.com, "Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Exiting The Expendables Because He Felt Too Expendable", 5 Apr. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of whey

Middle English, from Old English hwæg; akin to Middle Dutch wey whey

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First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

WHEY Defined for English Language Learners

whey

play

noun

Definition of whey for English Language Learners

: the watery part of milk that forms after the milk becomes thick and sour

WHEY Defined for Kids

whey

play

noun \ˈhwā, ˈwā\

Definition of whey for Students

: the watery part that separates from the curd after milk sours and thickens

Medical Dictionary

whey

play play

noun \ˈhwā, ˈwā\

Medical Definition of whey

: the serum or watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat