suckle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, literary, biological/zoological
Quick answer
What does “suckle” mean?
To feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or teat.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or teat.
To draw milk from the breast or teat; to nourish or sustain as if by giving milk; to derive comfort, advantage, or sustenance from something.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Both use the verb for animals and, less commonly, for humans in formal/literary contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more clinical/zoological in both varieties. 'Breastfeed' is the more common, neutral term for humans in everyday speech.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse in both varieties, with slightly higher occurrence in British nature writing and formal prose.
Grammar
How to Use “suckle” in a Sentence
[Subject: mother] suckles [Object: young][Subject: young] suckles (at/from [Object: mother/teat])[Subject: entity] suckles [Object: entity] on/with [something] (metaphorical)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “suckle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The ewe will suckle her lambs for several months.
- The orphaned fox cub was suckled by a domestic dog.
- He wrote of a nation suckling on outdated ideologies.
American English
- The doe suckles her fawns in a hidden thicket.
- The piglets suckled vigorously.
- The regime suckled its people on propaganda.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form in use.
American English
- No standard adverbial form in use.
adjective
British English
- The suckling pig was roasted for the feast.
- She observed the suckling behaviour of the seal pups.
American English
- Suckling calves stay close to their mothers.
- They served a traditional suckling pig.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possible in metaphorical sense: 'The startup continued to suckle at the venture capital teat.'
Academic
Common in biology, zoology, veterinary science, and anthropology texts describing mammalian behaviour.
Everyday
Uncommon. 'Breastfeed' or 'nurse' preferred for humans. Used for pets/farm animals by informed speakers.
Technical
Standard term in animal husbandry, wildlife biology, and related fields.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “suckle”
- Using 'suckle' interchangeably with 'suck'. 'The child suckled his thumb' is incorrect. 'Suckle' requires a milk-producing source.
- Using it as the common term for human breastfeeding in casual conversation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is formal, literary, or technical. In everyday conversation about humans, 'breastfeed' or 'nurse' is more common and neutral.
'Suckle' specifically means to draw milk from a breast or teat. 'Suck' is a broader term meaning to draw something in or hold something using a vacuum created in the mouth (suck a lollipop, suck air, suck on a straw).
Yes. Transitive: 'The mother suckled her young.' Intransitive: 'The young suckled from their mother.'
A 'suckling' is a noun referring to a young mammal that is still feeding on its mother's milk, e.g., 'a suckling pig'.
To feed a baby or young animal with milk from the breast or teat.
Suckle is usually formal, literary, biological/zoological in register.
Suckle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsʌk(ə)l/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsək(ə)l/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Suckle at the teat of (something) = to derive sustenance, advantage, or dependency from a source (often used negatively).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a baby duckling (suck-ling) – both words relate to young animals feeding.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOURCE OF SUSTENANCE IS A BREAST/TEAT (e.g., 'suckling from the government teat').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is the word 'suckle' used CORRECTLY?