mammary gland

American  

noun

• mammary glands
  plural

1. any of the compound accessory reproductive organs of female mammals that occur in pairs on the chest or ventral surface and contain milk-producing lobes with ducts that empty into an external nipple, becoming functional when young are born and secreting milk for the duration of suckling.

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mammary gland British  

noun

1. any of the milk-producing glands in mammals. In higher mammals each gland consists of a network of tubes and cavities connected to the exterior by a nipple

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mammary gland Scientific  

/ măm′ə-rē /

1. One of the glands in female mammals that produces milk. It is present but undeveloped in the male. In most animals, the gland opens onto the surface by means of a nipple or teat. Mammary glands number from 2 to 20, depending on the species.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mammary glands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mammary gland

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mammary gland

Epithelial tissues in adults are already known to remove dying cells in places including the retina, colon, airways and mammary gland.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026

Professor Wilmut was among the leaders of a team that used a cell from the mammary gland of a dead adult sheep to create a living animal that was genetically identical to the donor.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2023

Last year, the EWG recommended 1 ppt for all PFAS, citing Grandjean’s work along with other research associating the compounds with delayed mammary gland development in rodents.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 24, 2020

The mammary gland is composed of milk-transporting lactiferous ducts, which expand and branch extensively during pregnancy in response to estrogen, growth hormone, cortisol, and prolactin.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 19, 2013

It was excised, and microscopic examination showed its structure to be that of a rudimentary nipple and mammary gland.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle