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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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

They run about 200 cows on their farm, which is typical of British dairy farming.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

But certain items that currently meet the requirements, such as beef jerky for protein or butter for dairy, no longer will.

From Salon • May 22, 2026

The monkeys with the most frequent soil consumption munch on tourist junk food that is "high in sugar, high in salt, high in dairy, which the macaques can't digest," said Lemoine.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

The U.S. committed to lifting automatic detention measures imposed on Chinese dairy products since 2008 and agreed to work toward removing similar measures on three categories of Chinese aquatic products, according to the ministry.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026

Small ranches and dairy farms dotted the land, and sunflowers lined the back roads.

From "Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal" by Eric Schlosser

Related Words

• dairy farm