skimmed milk

IPA/ˌskɪmd ˈmɪlk/
IPA/ˌskɪmd ˈmɪlk/

skimmed milk — noun

1. milk with most of the cream and fat removed, so it is lighter than ordinary milk

1.nounB1
Definition

milk with most of the cream and fat removed, so it is lighter than ordinary milk.

Example

Ryan poured skimmed milk over the cereal before catching the early bus.

collocation: pour skimmed milk over cereal

At the cafe, Amira asked for skimmed milk in her tea instead of cream.

common request: skimmed milk in tea

Common collocations
  • skimmed milk
  • a glass of skimmed milk
  • a carton of skimmed milk
  • skimmed milk in tea
Synonyms
  • skim milk

    the usual American English form for the same product

  • nonfat milk

    label term that usually stresses almost no fat at all

  • low-fat milk

    broader label; it can include milk with more fat than skimmed milk

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

drink skimmed milk

a carton of skimmed milk

skimmed milk in tea

Usage Note

Usually treated as an uncountable noun. In American English, the usual term is often 'skim milk' rather than 'skimmed milk'.

Common Mistakes

I bought skimmed milk because I wanted more cream.
I bought skimmed milk because I wanted less fat.
Skimmed milk has the cream removed, so people choose it for a lighter drink.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Skimmed milk and skim milk name the same product, but skimmed milk is more usual in British English while skim milk is more usual in American English. Semi-skimmed milk still keeps some fat, so it tastes richer than skimmed milk. Whole milk keeps its natural fat and has a fuller taste, so it contrasts with skimmed milk most clearly on food labels and in health advice.

skimmed milk ↗skim milksemi-skimmed milkwhole milk ↗

Etymology

Old NorseOld EnglishEnglish

Skimmed milk is a modern English food term built from skimmed, the past participle of skim in the sense of removing cream from the surface, and milk.