# milk drinker

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/milk-drinker
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Someone who lacks experience or courage.

## Examples

- Don't be such a milk drinker and join the game.
- He is a milk drinker who stays home when things get difficult.
- Stop acting like a milk drinker and stand up for yourself.
- The veteran soldiers laughed at the new recruit, calling him a milk drinker because he was afraid to enter the dark forest.
- The older sailors didn't trust the new captain because they thought he was a milk drinker who had never seen a real storm.
- You shouldn't let those bullies call you a milk drinker just because you prefer to follow the rules at school.
- The mountain climbers hesitated to take the beginner on the steep trail, fearing that a milk drinker would panic when the weather turned cold and snowy.
- Although he spoke with great confidence, his hesitation during the crisis revealed him to be a mere milk drinker in the eyes of the seasoned commanders.

## Origin

From Ancient Greek γαλακτοπότης (galaktopótēs), the term was employed by the Greeks as a derogatory label for barbarians. It identifies the subject by his dietary habits, specifically the consumption of milk, which the Greeks regarded as a mark of the uncivilised.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.