whey
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of whey
First recorded before 900; Middle English whei(e), whai(e), wei, Old English hwæg, hwæig, hwǣg, hweg; cognate with Dutch, Low German wei
Explanation
Whey is what's left over after you've made cheese by straining curds. Rather than being thrown away, whey is often used to add buttery flavor or extra protein to processed foods. You may know the word whey from the nursery rhyme that begins "Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet eating her curds and whey..." Curds and whey are part of the cheese-making process, with whey being the slightly sour leftover liquid. Think buttermilk or thin yogurt, and you've got an idea of what whey tastes like. It's actually a great source of protein and often shows up in healthy smoothies and shakes.
Vocabulary lists containing whey
A Culinary Vocabulary Sampler
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"The Odyssey," Vocabulary from Part 1 of the epic poem
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Cheesy Goodness
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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.
As with whey protein, the beverage space has faced shortages over the past year, particularly when it comes to coconuts.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
So some producers are making more cheese for its byproduct whey, even if that means selling the leftover curds into a weaker market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
Turning liquid whey into premium protein concentrates and isolates takes multimillion-dollar ultrafiltration systems and drying towers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
The study builds on earlier research from the same team that developed a technique for selectively concentrating whey proteins.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 15, 2026
The whey from the cottage cheese started to drip!
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
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.
