whey

noun

ˈ(h)wā 

: the watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat

wheylike

ˈ(h)wā-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of whey in a Sentence

The curd has separated from the whey.

Recent Examples on the Web

This crucial step accelerates the coagulation process, which is the separation of the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. —Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 6 May 2025

Our Dip Trio & Pita repurposes ingredients like yogurt whey, roasted vegetable scraps, and citrus zest to create deeply flavorful spreads. —Chelsea Davis, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Production at the plant, which processes billions of pounds of milk annually into cheese and whey protein powders, resumed later the same morning following clearance by safety crews. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025

What is the difference between whey protein isolate and concentrate? —Brianna Peters, Vogue, 26 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hwæg; akin to Middle Dutch wey whey

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing whey

• whey-face

Rhymes for whey

• ay
• bay
• bey
• brae
• cay
• chez
• dey
• dray
• fay
• fey
• flay
• fray

Kids Definition

whey

noun

ˈhwā 

ˈwā

: the watery part of milk that separates after the milk has soured and thickened especially in the process of making cheese compare curd sense 1

Medical Definition

whey

noun

ˈhwā  ˈwā 

: the serum or watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat