milkman: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1informal, historical
Quick answer
What does “milkman” mean?
A person, traditionally male, who delivers milk to homes or businesses.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person, traditionally male, who delivers milk to homes or businesses.
A representative of a bygone era of home delivery services; can be used figuratively to refer to someone with a regular, predictable schedule or occupation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The concept and term are identical. The decline of the service occurred in both regions.
Connotations
Both evoke nostalgia. In the UK, there is a stronger association with early morning deliveries and glass bottles.
Frequency
Equally low in contemporary active use, but equally high in passive/cultural recognition.
Grammar
How to Use “milkman” in a Sentence
The [milkman] [verb: delivered/left] the milk.[Person] [verb: waited for/tipped] the milkman.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “milkman” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Non-standard) There's no verb form in standard use.
American English
- (Non-standard) There's no verb form in standard use.
adverb
British English
- (Non-existent) No adverb form.
American English
- (Non-existent) No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- (Rare/Non-standard) There's no standard adjective form.
American English
- (Rare/Non-standard) There's no standard adjective form.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in discussions of logistics, last-mile delivery, or niche subscription services.
Academic
Used in historical, sociological, or cultural studies discussing post-war domestic life and the decline of local services.
Everyday
Used in nostalgic conversation or to describe a surviving service. "I remember the clink of the milk bottles."
Technical
Not applicable.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “milkman”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “milkman”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “milkman”
- Using it as a current universal occupation. (Incorrect: 'In my city, many milkmen work at night.') More accurate: 'Some specialty services still employ milkmen.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is largely historical in most English-speaking countries, though niche delivery services still exist.
Traditionally no, but modern equivalents might use gender-neutral terms like 'milk deliverer' or 'dairy deliverer'.
It is the same word. A slightly older synonym is 'roundsman'.
It is remembered through idioms, stories, and as a symbol of post-war domestic life and community service.
A person, traditionally male, who delivers milk to homes or businesses.
Milkman is usually informal, historical in register.
Milkman: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɪlkmən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɪlkmən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “'as regular as the milkman' (punctual and dependable)”
- “'the milkman's been' (said when someone has a child that does not resemble the father)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of MILK + MAN. The man who brings the milk.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SCHEDULED EVENT (e.g., 'He arrives like the milkman, at 6 am sharp'). A RELIC OF THE PAST.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary contemporary connotation of the word 'milkman'?