ENGLISH
REFERENCE

milky

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈmɪɫki// UK //mˈɪlki// milky Archaic Informal

adj. containing milk, or looking like milk because of its white or pale color. You can use it to describe a drink, a color, or even a person's skin.

adj. containing, consisting of, or resembling milk, especially in color or opacity. Often used to describe liquids, translucent materials, or pale complexions.


SIMPLE

The tea was too milky for my taste.

CONTEXTUAL

The morning fog was thick and milky, making it difficult for drivers to see more than a few meters ahead.

COMPLEX

The artist used a milky glaze over the oil painting to soften the harsh transitions between the vibrant colors of the sunset and the dark horizon.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English mylky, melky, equivalent to milk + -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian moalkig (“milky”), West Frisian molkich (“milky”), Dutch melkig (“milky”), German Low German melkig (“milky”), German milchig (“milky”), Danish mælkig (“milky”), Swedish mjölkig (“milky”), Icelandic mjólkugur (“milky”). Doublet of milchig.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'look' or 'become'.

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