lactic

American

[lak-tik] / ˈlæk tɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or obtained from milk.

lactic British

/ ˈlæktɪk /

adjective

relating to or derived from milk

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nonlactic adjective

Etymology

Origin of lactic

First recorded in 1780–90; lact- + -ic

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.

Yogurt doesn’t just tenderize; it creates a thin lactic crust that browns beautifully in a hot pan.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2026

“It’s searing pain from all the lactic acid. It floods your system. You blow capillaries in your eyes, you throw up after races,” said Cheek, now an NBC analyst.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Cheese becomes acidic either through direct acidification or by adding lactic acid-producing bacteria that convert milk sugars into lactic acid.

From Science Daily • Oct. 21, 2025

This stops the stress hormone and lactic acid buildup that can hurt flavor and texture when fish are left to asphyxiate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

My entire body aches, especially my legs, which burn with lactic acid even when I am not moving.

From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023