whey

noun
\ ˈhwā How to pronounce whey (audio) , ˈwā\

Definition of whey

: the watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat

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Other Words from whey

wheylike \ ˈhwā-​ˌlīk How to pronounce wheylike (audio) , ˈwā-​ \ adjective

Examples of whey in a Sentence

The curd has separated from the whey.

Recent Examples on the Web

Non-animal whey protein is new and may require scrutiny by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Larissa Zimberoff, latimes.com, "Here comes lab-grown dairy: milk proteins made without animals," 11 July 2019 Essentially, Perfect Day gives microflora — a specific type of fungi — a blueprint through biotechnology that allows it to ferment sugar and create whey and casein. Janelle Bitker, SFChronicle.com, "Bay Area company releases ice cream made with real dairy but no cows, at $20 a pint," 11 July 2019 The company’s protein product is made by altering sections of the DNA sequence of food-grade yeast such that the microorganisms, once fed with certain nutrients, produce several key proteins found in milk, including casein and whey. Chase Purdy, Quartz, "The next big ice cream aisle addition will be dairy-free…kind of," 11 July 2019 The two source fresh whey (the cloudy liquid runoff discarded after cheese or yogurt making) from Appleton Farms of Ipswich and Mayval Farm in Westhampton and blend it with fruits, and without sugar. Ann Trieger Kurland, BostonGlobe.com, "Whey better for you than sugary sports drinks," 18 June 2019 Exactly when the whey is removed—whether at the beginning or the end—doesn't really impact the amount of lactose a cheese will end up with. Audrey Bruno, SELF, "These Are the Cheeses That Have the Lowest Levels of Lactose," 11 June 2019 Cheese exports have suffered since Mexico and China, major dairy buyers, instituted retaliatory tariffs on U.S. cheese and whey. Heather Haddon, WSJ, "America Can’t Move Its Cheese," 17 Dec. 2018 Harder cheeses have the whey drained out of the cheese vat before the curds are packed into cheese forms for pressing. Audrey Bruno, SELF, "These Are the Cheeses That Have the Lowest Levels of Lactose," 11 June 2019 But many of those studies have been relatively small or short-term and often have focused on only one kind of person, such as young men or older adults, or one kind of protein, such as whey shakes or soy. Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, "Lift Weights, Eat More Protein, Especially if You’re Over 40," 7 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'whey.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of whey

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for whey

Middle English, from Old English hwæg; akin to Middle Dutch wey whey

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More Definitions for whey

whey

noun

English Language Learners Definition of whey

: the watery part of milk that forms after the milk becomes thick and sour

whey

noun
\ ˈhwā How to pronounce whey (audio) , ˈwā\

Kids Definition of whey

: the watery part that separates from the curd after milk sours and thickens

whey

noun
\ ˈhwā How to pronounce whey (audio) , ˈwā How to pronounce whey (audio) \

Medical Definition of whey

: the serum or watery part of milk that is separated from the coagulable part or curd especially in the process of making cheese and that is rich in lactose, minerals, and vitamins and contains lactalbumin and traces of fat

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