dairy

American  

[dair-ee] / ˈdɛər i /

noun

plural

dairies

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

Natural gas raises fertilizer costs and farm prices for corn, wheat, beef and dairy.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

He is a board member of Western United Dairies, the largest dairy trade group in California.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

The Food and Drug Administration has repeatedly warned that unpasteurized dairy products can carry dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, and E. coli.

From Salon • May 9, 2026

Sugar prices dropped 4.7% in April due to ample supplies, while dairy prices fell 1.1% amid abundant EU milk.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

Vermont’s mountains are comparatively soft and rolling, and its profusion of dairy farms gives it a more welcoming and inhabited feel.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• dairy farm