milk thistle

noun

: a tall thistle (Silybum marianum) having white-veined dark green leaves and large purple flower heads that is native to the Mediterranean region but has become naturalized elsewhere including the U.S.

also : an extract of milk thistle and especially its seeds that is held to protect the liver from damage or disease

Examples of milk thistle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Patch Brand Recovery Patch, $24 This wellness patch, which can be worn before, during and after drinking, uses glutathione, vitamin B12, milk thistle, dihydromyricetin and more to prevent severe hangovers. —Emily Burns, WWD, 31 Dec. 2024

To help with recovery, both chlorella and milk thistle are also good. —Emily Peck, WIRED, 31 Dec. 2024

Infused with skin-loving ingredients like algae extract, cacao peptides and milk thistle, this foundation helps support the skin’s moisture barrier, blur imperfections and reduce the appearance of wrinkles over time. —Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Nov. 2024

Meanwhile, this silicone-free formula relies on polymers to give skin an airbrushed effect and milk thistle extract to balance oil without drying out skin. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

milk thistle

noun

milk this·​tle -ˈthis-əl 

1

: a tall thistle (Silybum marianum) that is the source of silymarin, has large clasping white-blotched leaves and large purple flower heads with bristly receptacles, and is native to southern Europe but has been widely introduced elsewhere including the United States

2

: an extract of milk thistle and especially its seeds : silymarin