dairy

American  

[dair-ee] / ˈdɛər i /

noun

dairies plural

1. an establishment, as a room, building, or buildings, where milk and cream are kept and butter and cheese are made.

2. a shop or company that sells milk, butter, etc.

3. the business of a dairy farm, concerned with the production and treatment of milk and cream and the manufacture of butter and cheese.

4. dairy farm.

5. milk, or products made from or containing milk; dairy products, as butter and cheese.

   He avoids red meat, processed foods, and dairy in his diet.

6. (in Jewish dietary law) foods, including all milk products, eggs, fish, vegetables, etc., that may be eaten at a meal in which milk is served, in contrast to meat and meat products, which may not.

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adjective

1. of or relating to a dairy or a dairy farm.

2. relating to or for milk, cream, butter, cheese, etc..

   dairy products; the dairy case at a supermarket.

3. (in Jewish dietary law) of or relating to dairy, in contrast to meat and meat products.

dairy British  

/ ˈdɛərɪ /

noun

1. a company that supplies milk and milk products

2. 1. a shop that sells provisions, esp milk and milk products

   2. a shop that remains open outside normal trading hours

3. a room or building where milk and cream are stored or made into butter and cheese

4. 1. (modifier) of or relating to the production of milk and milk products

      dairy cattle

   2. ( in combination )

      a dairymaid

      a dairyman

5. 1. food containing milk or milk products

      she can't eat dairy

   2. ( as modifier )

      dairy produce

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dairies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dairy

1250–1300; Middle English daierie, equivalent to daie, deie dairymaid ( Old English dǣge bread maker; cognate with Old Norse deigja; see lady) + -erie -ery

Explanation

A dairy is a farm that specializes in milk and products made from milk. Cheese, yogurt, cream, and ice cream are all things that might be produced at a dairy. While one kind of dairy is a farm where cows or goats are kept and milked, other dairies focus only on making products from milk that farmers sell to them. These items themselves can also be called dairy products. Dairy comes from the Middle English daie, "dairy," which is rooted in the Old English dæge, "kneader of bread," or "female servant."

Example Sentences

This year is was the turn of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, with Rora Dairy, near Peterhead, exhibiting for the first time, alongside dozens of other small food producers.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

A professor of food science who directs the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Lucey grew up on a farm and has studied dairy products for three decades.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2026

U.S. dairy processors have invested $11 billion in new capacity, technology and supply-chain improvements through 2028 to meet consumer demand for dairy-based protein, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026

Their findings, published in the International Dairy Journal, indicate that adjusting the manufacturing process could make whey protein drinks more pleasant to drink.

From Science Daily • Jun. 15, 2026

A road consisting of used-car lots, Dairy Queens, and White Castle hamburger places.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• dairy farm