Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lactation” come from?

Lactation derives from Latin lactatio, a noun formed from the Latin verb lacto meaning "to suckle," which stems from Latin lac meaning "milk," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵlákts.

lactation (English): The secretion of milk from the mammary gland of a...

Definitions

  1. The secretion of milk from the mammary gland of a...

Ancestry of “lactation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinlactatioenticement, allure; suckling
2Latin-tiō—
3Latindissertātiō—
4Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
5Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
6Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
7Latincalceusshoe
8Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
9Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “lactation”

  • lactational
  • relactation
  • hyperlactation
  • mislactation
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →