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lactation - 7 dictionary results

lac⋅ta⋅tion

[lak-tey-shuhn]
–noun
1. the secretion or formation of milk.
2. the period of milk production.

Origin:
1660–70; < LL lactātiōn- (s. of lactātiō) a giving suck. See lactate 1 , -ion


lac⋅ta⋅tion⋅al, adjective
lac⋅ta⋅tion⋅al⋅ly, adverb
lac·ta·tion   (lāk-tā'shən)   
n.  
  1. Secretion or formation of milk by the mammary glands.
  2. The period during which the mammary glands secrete milk.
lac·ta'tion·al adj.

Lactation

Lac*ta"tion\, n. A giving suck; the secretion and yielding of milk by the mammary gland.

lactation 
1668, "process of suckling an infant," from Fr. lactation, from L. lactationem (nom. lactatio) "a suckling," from L. lactatus, pp. of lactare "suckle," from lac (gen. lactis) "milk," from PIE base *glact- (cf. Gk. gala, gen. galaktos "milk"). Meaning "process of secreting milk from the breasts" first recorded 1857; lactate (v.) in this sense is a back-formation from 1889. Lactic acid is from 1790; so called because it was obtained from sour milk. M.Ir. lacht, Welsh llaeth "milk" are loan words from Latin.

Main Entry: lac·ta·tion
Pronunciation: lak-'tA-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the secretion and yielding of milk by the mammary gland
2 : one complete period of lactation extending from about the time of parturition to weaning —lac·ta·tion·al /-sh&n-&l/ adjectivelac·ta·tion·al·ly /-E/ adverb

lactation lac·ta·tion (lāk-tā'shən)
n.

  1. The secretion or formation of milk by the mammary glands.
  2. The period during which the mammary glands secrete milk.

lac·ta'tion·al adj.

lactation   (lāk-tā'shən)  Pronunciation Key 
The secretion or production of milk by the mammary glands in female mammals after giving birth.
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