lactic
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lactic
Explanation
Scientists use the word lactic for substances that have to do with milk. Lactic acid is the substance that makes things like yogurt and buttermilk taste sour. The term lactic comes from the French lactique and its Latin root, lac, or "milk." The word is almost always connected to acid — lactic acid, also known as lactate, is the byproduct of a chemical reaction that occurs in milk as it ferments. Lactic acid is also present in our bodies, as it's produced by muscles that are working hard, in our guts, and even in our mouths.
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.
A lactic acid-inducing session comprising 400m intervals in early June signals the start of a specific 800m training block to prepare for the summer's major targets.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 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
The lactic acid, after some time, will cause the dough to smell like beer.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2025
Nicole knew all about lactic acid buildup, but she was surprised Rashawn knew about it, and what to do to get rid of it.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
