mammary

adjective

mam·​ma·​ry ˈma-mə-rē How to pronounce mammary (audio)
: of, relating to, lying near, or affecting the mammae

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Up to 57% of female Sprague Dawley rats have been shown in other studies to develop tumors, especially mammary tumors, spontaneously. Guest Blogger, Discover Magazine, 21 Sep. 2012 Shearer first revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that she was diagnosed with invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer in April. Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2023 Women who have had previous breast surgery or women who have delivered prematurely might be experiencing mammary tissue growth deficiencies. Dallas News, 18 Jan. 2023 In the mammary glands of a breastfeeding mother, milk-secreting cells package fat droplets into a unique, triple-layer membrane embedded with biologically active molecules thought to play roles in infants’ brain development and immune function. Alice Callahan, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2019 Mammals are best characterized by their warm blood, mammary glands and unique birth process. Liam Gravvat, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2022 In April, Clea revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that she was diagnosed with invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. Shafiq Najib, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2022 In April, Shearer revealed to PEOPLE exclusively that she has been diagnosed with invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. Charmaine Patterson, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 In March, Shearer was diagnosed with invasive mammary carcinoma, an aggressive form of breast cancer. Shafiq Najib, PEOPLE.com, 13 July 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mammary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin mammārius, from Latin mamma "breast, udder" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at mamma

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mammary was in 1615

Dictionary Entries Near mammary

Cite this Entry

“Mammary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mammary. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

mammary

adjective
mam·​ma·​ry ˈmam-ə-rē How to pronounce mammary (audio)
: of, relating to, lying near, or affecting the mammary glands

Medical Definition

mammary

1 of 2 adjective
mam·​ma·​ry ˈmam-ə-rē How to pronounce mammary (audio)
: of, relating to, lying near, or affecting the mammae

mammary

2 of 2 noun
plural mammaries

More from Merriam-Webster on mammary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


What Did You Just Call Me?

  • brown chihuahua sitting on the floor with squinting eyes looking at the camera
  • Before we went to her house, Hannah told us her aunt was a flibbertigibbet.
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY