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

Still, more research is needed to confirm if milk thistle affects your liver enough to produce long-term results. —Devineé Lingo, M.s., Rdn, Health, 9 Sep. 2024

Plus, their milk thistle seed extract is sustainable, created with upcycled by-product of milk thistle oil production. —Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024

Luna Morada incorporates a mix of purple maize, wormwood, milk thistle and warming spices such as cinnamon and clove. —Rachel King, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

As an antioxidant, silymarin (a flavonoid in milk thistle seeds) helps prevent inflammation that can lead to liver disorders. —Devineé Lingo, M.s., Rdn, Health, 9 Sep. 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