milky
- 01 B1 Intermediate
looking like milk in its white colour or thick texture.
resembling milk in appearance, particularly regarding its white colour, opacity, or consistency.
Simple“The river water was milky and white after the heavy rain stirred up the clay.”
In context“The glass had a milky finish that obscured the view while still allowing soft light to filter into the private office.”
Antonyms - 02 B1 Intermediate
having a lot of milk in it, like a drink.
containing a significant proportion of milk; often used to describe the preparation of tea or coffee.
Simple“She prefers a very milky coffee with two sugars in the morning.”
In context“The waiter served a tray of milky tea and biscuits to the guests as they settled into the lounge.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
pale and white, often used to describe skin or eyes that are not clear.
having a pale, clouded, or translucent quality; frequently applied to skin tones or the appearance of eyes affected by cataracts.
Simple“The old dog had milky eyes and could no longer see his ball.”
In context“Her milky complexion was a striking contrast to the dark velvet of her evening gown.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
weak or afraid to do something.
lacking courage or strength of character; weak-willed.
Simple“Don't be so milky; it's just a small jump into the water.”
In context“The antagonist mocked his rival for being milky, suggesting he lacked the stomach for a real confrontation.”
UsageCommonly used in London-based dialects or older British slang to insult someone's bravery.
Teacher's tipThis is highly regional and informal; learners should avoid using it unless they are very familiar with the specific cultural context.
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.