mammary gland

noun

: any of the large compound modified sebaceous glands that in female mammals are modified to secrete milk, are situated ventrally in pairs, and usually terminate in a nipple

Examples of mammary gland in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Colostrum is the fluid created by mammary glands after pregnancy and before breastfeeding. USA TODAY, 25 Aug. 2023 Colostrum is a nutrient-dense substance produced in the mammary glands of mammals within the first few days after giving birth. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2023 And yes, new moms should be aware that underwired bras can pose the risk of pressing against the lymphatic system and causing mastitis — a painful inflammation of mammary glands—in some people, according to Sena. Courtney Leiva, Peoplemag, 21 Apr. 2023 While mammals feed their young milk from their mammary glands, birds possess no such gland, WorldAtlas explains. Liam Gravvat, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2022 As estrogen decreases, mammary glands shrink and breasts tend to lose firmness, according to Penn Medicine. Macaela MacKenzie, Glamour, 15 Mar. 2023 Investigators are accepting both normal and cancerous feline mammary gland tissue samples from female cats. Kate Wong, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2018 When milk fat is secreted from the mammary gland, it’s packaged in a triple-layer membrane made of phospholipids, cholesterol and a multitude of proteins (including lactoferrin). Alice Callahan, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2019 Her late mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a breast cancer researcher, spent about a year working in Dr. Baulieu’s lab in the 1980s, collaborating with him on research about estrogen and a mammary gland protein. Pam Belluck, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mammary gland.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mammary gland was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near mammary gland

Cite this Entry

“Mammary gland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mammary%20gland. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mammary gland

noun
: one of the large glands that in female mammals produce milk and in males are usually underdeveloped, are located in pairs on the abdominal side of the animal body, and usually end in a nipple

Medical Definition

mammary gland

noun
: any of the large compound sebaceous glands that in female mammals are modified to secrete milk, are situated ventrally in pairs, and usually terminate in a nipple

More from Merriam-Webster on mammary gland

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!