Word
milky
US/ˈmɪɫki/
UK/mˈɪlki/
Definitions
01resembling milk
B1 · Intermediate
adj. looking like milk in its white colour or thick texture.
adj. resembling milk in appearance, particularly regarding its white colour, opacity, or consistency.
日本語:乳白色の※
“The river water was milky and white after the heavy rain stirred up the clay.”
“The glass had a milky finish that obscured the view while still allowing soft light to filter into the private office.”
Antonyms
02containing milk
B1 · Intermediate Cooking
adj. having a lot of milk in it, like a drink.
adj. containing a significant proportion of milk; often used to describe the preparation of tea or coffee.
“She prefers a very milky coffee with two sugars in the morning.”
“The waiter served a tray of milky tea and biscuits to the guests as they settled into the lounge.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03pale or cloudy
B2 · Upper Intermediate Medicine
adj. pale and white, often used to describe skin or eyes that are not clear.
adj. having a pale, clouded, or translucent quality; frequently applied to skin tones or the appearance of eyes affected by cataracts.
“The old dog had milky eyes and could no longer see his ball.”
“Her milky complexion was a striking contrast to the dark velvet of her evening gown.”
04cowardly
C2 · Proficiency British English · Slang
adj. weak or afraid to do something.
adj. lacking courage or strength of character; weak-willed.
“Don't be so milky; it's just a small jump into the water.”
“The antagonist mocked his rival for being milky, suggesting he lacked the stomach for a real confrontation.”
Usage
Commonly used in London-based dialects or older British slang to insult someone's bravery.
Teaching tip
This is highly regional and informal; learners should avoid using it unless they are very familiar with the specific cultural context.
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/milky
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0