dairy

noun

ˈder-ē 

plural dairies

often attributive

1

: a room, building, or establishment where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made

2

a

: the department of farming or of a farm that is concerned with the production of milk, butter, and cheese

b

: a farm devoted to such production

3

: an establishment for the sale or distribution chiefly of milk and milk products

4

: milk from a cow or other domestic animal (such as a goat)

also : food (such as ice cream, cheese, or yogurt) made primarily of or from milk

dairy adjective

dairy products

Examples of dairy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bass declared the state of emergency on her first day as mayor Climate and environment Third U.S. dairy worker comes down with avian flu, officials are monitoring the farm. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024

What’s inside: Along with the usual dairy, frozen food, seafood, meat and fresh produce departments, the Homestead Publix has a full-service bakery and deli. —Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 30 May 2024

Calcium is found in dairy products, tofu, and spinach, and many people can fulfill their calcium needs through dietary sources, according to McKenzie Caldwell, MPH, RDN, LDN, Owner of Feed Your Zest Nutrition and Wellness. —Casey Seiden, Parents, 30 May 2024

The dairy worker in the latest case worked on a different farm in Michigan than the previous case reported in the state. —Alice Park, TIME, 30 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deierie, dayerye, borrowed from Anglo-French deyerie, daerie, from Middle English deie, daie "woman in charge of milking and making butter and cheese" (going back to Old English dǣge "female baker, female servant," going back to Germanic *daigjōn—whence also Old Norse deigja "female servant"— derivative of *daiga- dough) + Anglo-French -erie -ery (after botelerie "wine cellar," paneterie "bread shop, pantry")

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dairy

• dairy cattle

Kids Definition

dairy

noun

ˈde(ə)r-ē 

da(ə)r-

plural dairies

1

: a place where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made

2

: a farm devoted to the production of milk

3

: a company that sells milk and milk products

4

: milk from a cow or other domestic animal (as a goat)

also : food (as ice cream, cheese, or yogurt) made primarily of or from milk