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coconut milk

American  
[koh-kuh-nuht milk] / ˈkoʊ kə nət ˌmɪlk /

noun

  1. the clear, potable liquid contained within the young hollow seed of the coconut palm.

  2. the milky, potable but highly perishable liquid contained within the mature hollow coconut.

  3. the milky, potable liquid extracted from grated coconut meat by infusion with boiling water.


Etymology

Origin of coconut milk

First recorded in 1690–1700

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Thankfully, many of my own anchor ingredients happen to be fairly budget-friendly: rice, greens, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, lemons, tortillas, cabbage, beans, eggs, chicken thighs, coconut milk, good olive oil and sourdough.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

Warm curry paste or ginger and garlic in oil, then add coconut milk and broth.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Made with coconut milk, two shots of mango juice and strawberry sweet cold foam, the Pink Sunrise is described as a “mango coconut refresher” that has a consistency similar to a fruit smoothie.

From Salon • Jul. 27, 2025

To use a metaphor by borrowing a line from the finale, “the coconut milk is off.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2025

The coconut milk tin was dusty and overpriced.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

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