lactescent

[lak-tes-uhnt]

adjective

1. becoming or being milky.

2. Botany, Entomology.,  secreting or producing a milky juice.

lactescent

/ lækˈtɛsənt /

adjective

1. (of plants and certain insects) secreting a milky fluid

2. milky or becoming milky

Other Word Forms

• lactescence noun
• lactescency noun
• nonlactescent adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lactescent¹

1660–70; < Latin lactēscent- (stem of lactēscēns ), present participle of lactēscere to turn into milk, produce milk. See lact-, -escent

Word History and Origins

Origin of lactescent¹

C18: from Latin lactescēns, from lactescēre to become milky, from lact-, lac milk

Example Sentences

Aarfy shook his head regretfully again and lowered his obscene, lactescent ear almost directly into Yossarian’s face.

From Literature

By the third day of the eruptive stage there is usually evident at the apex of the older lesions a minute vesicle containing a drop of pellucid serum, which rapidly changes in character and size till a distinct vesicle is formed with cloudy or lactescent contents.

From Project Gutenberg

Umbilication rapidly occurs at the apex, and simultaneously their contents become lactescent and gradually sero-purulent.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, the maculo-papules may never reach a vesicular stage, or, having attained this, the vesicles may not be umbilicated, or may shrivel after their contents have assumed a lactescent color, and be succeeded by light superficial crusts which in a few days fall.

From Project Gutenberg

In 1746, A. de Jussieu, Col de Villars, and Fontaine advanced in support of this theory the fact that they had found, on opening the abdomen in women who had died from an epidemic which raged that year in Paris, a free lactescent fluid in the lower portion of the abdominal cavity and clotted milk adherent to the intestines.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• frosted 
• opaque 
• pearly