lactescent

[ lak-tes-uh nt ]
/ lækˈtɛs ənt /

adjective

becoming or being milky.
Botany, Entomology. secreting or producing a milky juice.

Origin of lactescent

1660–70; < Latin lactēscent- (stem of lactēscēns), present participle of lactēscere to turn into milk, produce milk. See lact-, -escent

OTHER WORDS FROM lactescent

lac·tes·cence, lac·tes·cen·cy, noun non·lac·tes·cent, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for lactescent

British Dictionary definitions for lactescent

lactescent
/ (lækˈtɛsənt) /

adjective

(of plants and certain insects) secreting a milky fluid
milky or becoming milky

Derived forms of lactescent

lactescence, noun

Word Origin for lactescent

C18: from Latin lactescēns, from lactescēre to become milky, from lact-, lac milk

Medical definitions for lactescent

lactescent
[ lăk-tĕsənt ]

adj.

Becoming milky.
Milky.
Secreting or yielding a milky juice, as certain plants and insects.