lactation

L1A1C3T1A1T1I1O1N1
US/lækˈteɪʃən/

noun

The secretion of milk from the mammary gland of a female mammal.

Similar
suckling
OriginLatin lactātiō, lactātiōnis →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nounlactation (countable and uncountable, plural lactations)

plural lactations

  1. countableuncountableThe secretion of milk from the mammary gland of a female mammal.
  2. countableuncountableThe process of providing the milk to the young; breastfeeding.
  3. countableuncountableThe period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young; a lactation period.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounfeeding an infant by giving suck at the breast

Similar
suckling
Broader
feedingalimentation
Also see
suckling

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinlactātiō, lactātiōnis
  2. Englishlactation

Learned borrowing from Latin lactātiō, lactātiōnis. Equivalent to lactate + -ion.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian кърмене
  • кърмене (kărmene)process of providing milk to the young
Chinese Mandarin 哺乳, 哺乳期
  • 哺乳 (bǔrǔ)process of providing milk to the young
  • 哺乳期 (bǔrǔ qí)lactation period
Czech laktace
  • laktacesecretion of milk
Finnish maidoneritys, imetys
  • maidonerityssecretion of milk
  • imetysprocess of providing milk to the young
  • rintaruokintaprocess of providing milk to the young
  • imetysaikalactation period
French lactation, allaitement
  • lactationsecretion of milk
  • allaitementprocess of providing milk to the young
  • lactationprocess of providing milk to the young
  • lactationlactation period
Hungarian tejelválasztás, tejképződés
  • tejelválasztássecretion of milk
  • tejképződéssecretion of milk
  • tejtermeléssecretion of milk
  • laktációsecretion of milk
  • szoptatásprocess of providing milk to the young
  • laktációprocess of providing milk to the young
  • tejeléslactation period
  • laktációlactation period
Japanese 授乳
  • 授乳 (junyū)process of providing milk to the young
Norwegian Bokmål laktasjon, laktasjon
  • laktasjonsecretion of milk
  • laktasjonlactation period
Polish laktacja
  • laktacjasecretion of milk
Portuguese lactação, lactação
  • lactaçãosecretion of milk
  • lactaçãoprocess of providing milk to the young
  • lactaçãolactation period
Russian лакта́ция, кормле́ние гру́дью
  • лакта́ция (laktácija)secretion of milk
  • кормле́ние гру́дью (kormlénije grúdʹju)process of providing milk to the young
  • грудно́е вска́рмливание (grudnóje vskármlivanije)process of providing milk to the young
  • лакта́ция (laktácija)lactation period
Swedish laktation, amning
  • laktationsecretion of milk
  • amningprocess of providing milk to the young
Ukrainian лакта́ція, лакта́ція
  • лакта́ція (laktácija)secretion of milk
  • лакта́ція (laktácija)lactation period

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with lactation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →

Anagrams

Alcottian
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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