lácteo
Lemma Details
Translation: dairy; milk; milky; lacteal; lactic
Part of Speech: adjective
Etymology: From Latin 'lacteus' meaning 'of milk, milky', derived from 'lac, lactis' (milk). The English cognates include 'lactose', 'lactation', and 'lactic acid'. The Latin root 'lact-' appears in many scientific and medical terms related to milk across Romance languages and English.
Commonality: 60%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Los productos lácteos son ricos en calcio.
Dairy products are rich in calcium.
Ella tiene una dieta libre de lácteos debido a su intolerancia.
She has a dairy-free diet due to her intolerance.
El queso es un derivado lácteo.
Cheese is a dairy derivative.
La vía láctea es nuestra galaxia.
The Milky Way is our galaxy.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'lactation' in English to remember 'lácteo' relates to milk.
- The 'lact' in 'lácteo' sounds like 'lacked', so imagine someone saying 'I lacked milk' to remember it's related to dairy.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, dairy products (productos lácteos) are important components of the diet. The term appears frequently in nutritional contexts, food labeling, and dietary discussions.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'lácteo' refers to milk or dairy in general, 'láctico' specifically refers to lactic acid or the process of lactic fermentation.
Confused word:
El ácido láctico se acumula en los músculos durante el ejercicio intenso.
Lactic acid builds up in muscles during intense exercise.
Notes: Both terms share the same Latin root 'lact-' for milk, but have different specific applications.
Mnemonic: 'Lácteo' ends with 'o' like 'yogurto' (though it's actually 'yogur' in Spanish), a dairy product, while 'láctico' ends with 'ico' like 'acidic'.
Explanation: 'Lácteo' refers to dairy or milk-related things, while 'lactante' refers to a nursing infant or the act of breastfeeding.
Confused word:
El bebé lactante necesita alimentarse cada tres horas.
The nursing baby needs to be fed every three hours.
Notes: Both words relate to milk, but 'lactante' specifically relates to breastfeeding.
Mnemonic: 'Lactante' contains 'ante' which can remind you of 'infant' - a nursing baby.