suckle

verb

suck·​le ˈsə-kəl How to pronounce suckle (audio)
suckled; suckling ˈsə-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce suckle (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to give milk to from the breast or udder
a mother suckling her child
b
: to nurture as if by giving milk from the breast
was suckled on pulp magazines
2
: to draw milk from the breast or udder of
lambs suckling the ewes

intransitive verb

: to draw milk from the breast or udder

Examples of suckle in a Sentence

a cat suckling her kittens the image of a mother suckling her babe is a standard artistic symbol of maternal love and nurturing
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
After the birth, the infant was showing strong signs of suckling, and zoo staff thought that Kianga was providing excellent care, the release states. Grant Lancaster, arkansasonline.com, 7 Sep. 2024 But the government men botched their job: rather than dying, the twins were soon discovered by a she-wolf, who suckled them back to health. Michael Fontaine, Foreign Affairs, 15 Feb. 2016 The insects will have enough time to get used to their new home and then hopefully mate and burrow down to suckle at the roots of hazel trees. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 31 May 2024 The same amphibian recently discussed in Science, for example, also allows its babies to eat some of its skin, and some baby frogs seem to suckle in a similar way from their parents. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for suckle 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English suklen, probably back-formation from suklyng

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of suckle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near suckle

Cite this Entry

“Suckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suckle. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

suckle

verb
suck·​le ˈsək-əl How to pronounce suckle (audio)
suckled; suckling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce suckle (audio)
: to give or draw milk from the breast or udder

Medical Definition

suckle

transitive verb
suck·​le ˈsək-əl How to pronounce suckle (audio)
suckled; suckling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce suckle (audio)
1
: to give milk to from the breast or udder
a mother suckling her child
2
: to draw milk from the breast or udder of

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