udder
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Udder, teat, and mammary gland all refer to parts of the milk-producing system in mammals, but they are used very differently. Udder refers to the whole soft bag-like organ of a cow, goat, or sheep — the external unit that hangs under the belly. Teat refers specifically to the small nipple-like projection the young animal sucks on (a cow's udder has four teats, for example). Mammary gland is the scientific term for the internal tissue that produces milk; it can apply to any mammal, including humans. Milk bag is an informal term used mainly in casual farming talk. In everyday conversation about farms, people say 'udder' for the whole organ; vets use 'mammary gland' when discussing health. For instance, 'The vet checked the goat's udder for swelling' versus 'The vet examined the mammary gland tissue under a microscope'.
Common collocations
Nouns
- udder infection
- udder health
- udder area
Phrases
- full of milk
- hanging low
Prepositions
- on the udder
- under the udder
- from the udder
Etymology
Comes from Old English 'ūder', which has close relatives in other ancient languages such as Latin 'ūber' (breast, udder) and Greek 'oûthar'. The word has stayed very similar in form and meaning for over five thousand years, going back to the Indo-European root *h₁ówHdʰr̥.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1