verb
breastfeed
BREHS-feed
Breastfeed (verb) means to feed a baby milk directly from the breast. Example: “She breastfed both of her children for over a year.”
verb
1
To feed a baby milk directly from the breast.
"This is a designated place for mothers to breastfeed their babies."
"Avoid using a bottle until confident your baby is breastfeeding effectively."
— Baby-Led Breastfeeding: Follow Your Baby’s Instincts (2013)
"She breastfed both of her children for over a year."
"She stopped breastfeeding after a few months."
How to use breastfeed
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo nurse a baby with milk from the breast rather than a bottle.
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Word forms
- Plural
- breastfeeds
- Third person singular
- breastfeeds
- Past tense
- breastfed
Etymology
A compound of breast and feed.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
bottlefeed
Related words
Rhymes for breastfeed
See all rhymes for breastfeed →Frequently asked questions
What does “breastfeed” mean?
The word “breastfeed” means to feed a baby milk directly from the breast. In plain terms, to nurse a baby with milk from the breast rather than a bottle.
How do you pronounce “breastfeed”?
“Breastfeed” is pronounced BREHS-feed (/ˈbɹɛs(t)fiːd/ in IPA).
How do you use “breastfeed” in a sentence?
Here is “breastfeed” used in a sentence: “She breastfed both of her children for over a year.”
What is another word for “breastfeed”?
Words with a similar meaning to “breastfeed” include boobfeed.
What part of speech is “breastfeed”?
“Breastfeed” is a verb.
