Wiktionary

colostrum

English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin colostrum, of uncertain origin.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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colostrum (usually uncountable, plural colostra)

  1. (medicine) A form of milk produced by the mammary glands in late pregnancy and the few days after giving birth. Human and bovine colostrum is thick and yellowish. In humans, it has high concentrations of nutrients and antibodies, but it is small in quantity.
    Synonyms: beestings, first milk, fore-milk, green milk
    • 1988 May 17, Gina Kolata, “For Travelers, Milk From Immunized Cows”, in The New York Times‎[1], →ISSN:
      The researchers isolated the antibodies from the cow's colostrum, the first milk produced after birth, which has very high antibody concentrations. They gave these antibodies, extracted from the colostrum, to 10 volunteers and gave another 10 volunteers extracts from colostrum of cows that were not immunized against the traveler's diarrhea bacteria.
    • 2016, Joseph Henrich, chapter 16, in The Secret of Our Success […] , Princeton: Princeton University Press, →ISBN:
      This valuable fluid—colostrum—plays a number of important biological roles, including helping improve an infant's immune system. Nevertheless, many humans intuitively perceive colostrum as “sour milk,” which should not be given to infants. Other species do not make this serious mistake.
  2. A mixture of turpentine and egg yolk, formerly used as an emulsion.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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French

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /kɔ.lɔs.tʁɔm/
  • Audio (Canada):(file)

Noun

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colostrum m (plural colostrums)

  1. colostrum

Further reading

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Latin

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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Noun

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colostrum n (genitive colostrī); second declension

  1. Alternative form of colostra

Declension

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Second-declension noun (neuter).

singular plural
nominative colostrum colostra
genitive colostrī colostrōrum
dative colostrō colostrīs
accusative colostrum colostra
ablative colostrō colostrīs
vocative colostrum colostra
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