lactate

1 of 2

noun

lac·​tate ˈlak-ˌtāt How to pronounce lactate (audio)
: a salt or ester of lactic acid

lactate

2 of 2

verb

lactated; lactating

intransitive verb

: to secrete milk

Examples of lactate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
This is the point at which your body can no longer keep up with the generation of lactate in your bloodstream, and is indicative of when an activity flops over from aerobic to anaerobic. Andrew Williams, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 Running and other high-intensity exercises have also been shown to suppress appetite by releasing a chemical compound known as Lac-Phe - a combination of lactate and phenylalanine. Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
But that hasn’t worked yet because goats only lactate after giving birth, and Buttercup only recently had her kids. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2024 Women who reported using a pump at any point lactated for five months (21 weeks) longer than those who didn’t. Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lactate 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin lactatus, past participle of lactare, from lact-, lac

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1794, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lactate was circa 1794

Dictionary Entries Near lactate

Cite this Entry

“Lactate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lactate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

lactate

verb
lac·​tate
ˈlak-ˌtāt
lactated; lactating
: to give off milk
lactation
lak-ˈtā-shən
noun

Medical Definition

lactate

1 of 2 noun
lac·​tate ˈlak-ˌtāt How to pronounce lactate (audio)
: a salt or ester of lactic acid

lactate

2 of 2 intransitive verb
lactated; lactating
: to secrete milk

More from Merriam-Webster on lactate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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