lactate

L1A1C3T1A1T1E1
UK/lækˈteɪt/US/ˈlæk.teɪt/

verb

To secrete or produce milk.

Similar
breastfeedsucklesucknursewet-nursegive suck
OriginLatin lactātus →
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

lactate1

verblactate (third-person singular simple present lactates, present participle lactating, simple past and past participle lactated)

present singular third person lactates · participle present lactating · participle past lactated · past lactated

  1. intransitiveTo secrete or produce milk.

lactate2

nounlactate (plural lactates)

plural lactates

  1. chemistryAny salt or ester of lactic acid.
  2. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of lactate ion.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbgive suck to

Similar
breastfeedsucklesucknursewet-nursegive suck
Broader
feedgive
Also see
breastfeedgive sucknursesucksuckle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

lactate · verb

  1. Latinlactātus
  2. Englishlactate

Borrowed from Latin lactātus, perfect passive participle of lactō (“to suckle, give suck, contain milk”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lac (“milk”), cognate to Ancient Greek γάλα (gála, “milk”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

lactate · noun

From lactic acid + -ate (“salt or ester”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian but see кърмя, лактат
  • but see кърмя (kărmja)to produce milk
  • лактат (laktat)any salt or ester of lactic acid
Czech mléčnan
  • mléčnanany salt or ester of lactic acid
Finnish laktaatti
  • laktaattiany salt or ester of lactic acid
Hungarian laktát
  • laktátany salt or ester of lactic acid
Indonesian laktat
  • laktatany salt or ester of lactic acid
Māori whaiwaiū, rakatete
  • whaiwaiūto produce milk
  • rakateteany salt or ester of lactic acid
Swedish avsöndra mjölk, laktat
  • avsöndra mjölkto produce milk
  • laktatany salt or ester of lactic acid
Turkish laktat
  • laktatany salt or ester of lactic acid
Welsh llaetha, lactad
  • llaethato produce milk
  • lactadany salt or ester of lactic acid

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with lactate

datestategreatratecreateupdateweightlatecertificatewaiteightstraightplatechocolatedebatehategatedonateevaluatelocatekatealternatetranslatemate
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

lactate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lactate

MLA

“lactate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lactate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lactate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lactate.

Source: lactate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.