whey

noun \ ˈhwā , ˈwā \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

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

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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

Some employees at the facility failed to wash their lower or upper arms prior to submerging them in liquid whey to stir and break up cheese curds during the production process, the court filing charged.

— kevin mccoy, USA TODAY, "Federal court shuts NY cheese facility linked to Listeria outbreak that killed two," 3 Apr. 2018
But a custom mix of different nutrients, fats, proteins and sugars, like vegetable oil and whey protein, are then added to match as closely as possible with the mother’s milk from each animal species.

— serena solomon, New York Times, "Saving Koalas, and Other Marsupials, With Milk Almost as Good as Mom’s," 24 Feb. 2018
This yogurt is essentially Greek yogurt taken a step further, strained aggressively to remove enough whey that the result is almost cream cheese-like in texture.

— alex delany, Bon Appetit, "What Is Greek Yogurt? And How Is It Different Than Regular Yogurt?," 19 Jan. 2018
Greek and Icelandic yogurt (both strained to remove the liquid whey) are thicker, creamier and richer in protein than their regular yogurt counterparts, making them one of the best snacks for curbing appetite.

— lisa drayer, CNN, "Foods that can suppress appetite, aid weight loss," 8 Mar. 2018
When the raft is firm and a cheese-like consistency, use a slotted spoon or fine mesh sieve to separate the curds from the whey.

— Cincinnati.com, "Four words: Ricotta, prosciutto, blackberry, pizza.," 14 Feb. 2018
The cafe also has a Steam Yard Power smoothie that has peanut butter, espresso and whey protein.

— geoff bruce, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Four places in Waukesha County to get a good breakfast," 3 Jan. 2018
Once the milk is added, the curds separate from the whey and the combination looks like nothing anyone would want to drink.

— kevin hopper, idahostatesman, "This drink is illegal in bars, but not in your home," 30 Jan. 2018
This is where the whey drains from the curd — a place as humid as the Amazon and fetid as, well, old milk.

— New York Times, "Going to the Source for a Sacred Italian Cheese," 3 Jan. 2018

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

in the meaning defined above

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WHEY Defined for English Language Learners

whey

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

noun \ ˈhwā , ˈwā \

Definition of whey for Students

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

Medical Dictionary

whey

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