milch

See also: Milch

English

Etymology

From Middle English milche, melche, from Old English *melċe, *milċe (attested in þrimilċe, þrimelċes mōnaþ), from Proto-Germanic *milkijaz, *melkijaz from Proto-Germanic *melkaz (milky, milk-giving), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂melǵ- (to wipe, wipe off, milk). Cognate with Saterland Frisian meelk (milch), Low German melke (milch), German melk (milk-giving, milch), Alemannic German mëlch (milch, milkable), Icelandic milkur, mjólkur (milk-giving). More at milk.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mɪlt͡ʃ/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪltʃ

Adjective

milch (not comparable)

  1. (dated, of a cow or other livestock) Used to produce milk; dairy.
    • 1906, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle:
      so many cattle [] old cows and young cows; meek-eyed milch cows and fierce [] Texas steers.
  2. (dated, of a mammal) Currently producing milk for its offspring.
    • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: [] Richard Field, [], →OCLC:
      She wildly breaketh from their strict embrace / Like a milch doe, whose swelling dugs do ache / Hasting to feed her fawn, hid in some break.
    • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. [], London: [] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock [], and J[onathan] Robinson [], →OCLC:
      you must house your Milch-cows
  3. (obsolete) Tender; pitiful; weeping.

Usage notes

  • Used in terms such as milch cow or milch goat.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Alemannic German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old High German miluh, from Proto-Germanic *meluks. Cognate with German Milch, Dutch melk, English milk, Swedish mjölk, Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌺𐍃 (miluks).

Noun

milch f

  1. (Issime, Carcoforo) milk

References

Bavarian

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old High German miluh, from Proto-Germanic *meluks. Cognate with German Milch, Dutch melk, English milk, Swedish mjölk, Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌺𐍃 (miluks).

Noun

milch f

  1. (Sappada) milk

References

Cimbrian

Etymology

From Old High German miluh, from Proto-Germanic *meluks. Cognate with German Milch, Dutch melk, English milk, Swedish mjölk, Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐌻𐌿𐌺𐍃 (miluks).

Noun

milch f

  1. (Luserna, Sette Comuni) milk

References

Mòcheno

Etymology

From Middle High German milch, milich, from Old High German miluh, from Proto-West Germanic *meluk, from Proto-Germanic *meluks (milk). Cognate with German Milch, English milk.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /milx/

Noun

milch f

  1. milk

References

  • Anthony R. Rowley, Liacht as de sproch: Grammatica della lingua mòchena Deutsch-Fersentalerisch, TEMI, 2003.