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lactation

 - 6 dictionary results

lac⋅ta⋅tion

  [lak-tey-shuhn]
–noun
1. the secretion or formation of milk.
2. the period of milk production.
Use lactation in a Sentence
Origin:
1660–70; < LL lactātiōn- (s. of lactātiō) a giving suck. See lactate 1 , -ion

Related forms:
lac⋅ta⋅tion⋅al, adjective
lac⋅ta⋅tion⋅al⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
Cite This Source Link To lactation
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.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

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/ adjective —lac·ta·tion·al·ly /-E/ adverb
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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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.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Science Dictionary
lactation   (lāk-tā'shən)  Pronunciation Key 
The secretion or production of milk by the mammary glands in female mammals after giving birth.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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