WordGarden.iomilkmaid
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈɪlkmeɪd/
US
- /mˈɪlkmeɪd/
Meanings
Noun
a girl or woman who milks cows or works in a dairy
Beyond the definition
Imagine rolling green hills, the sound of cattle, and a woman carrying pails from the barn. That is the traditional picture of a milkmaid. In the past, a milkmaid was an important part of farm life, milking cows and helping with basic dairy work. The job was hard, practical, and closely tied to the daily routine of the farm.
Over time, the image of the milkmaid became popular in art and literature, where she often stands for country life, simple beauty, and honest work. Today, the job itself is much less common because modern dairy farming uses machines, but the word still brings to mind an old-fashioned rural world.
The word "milkmaid" refers to a woman whose work is milking cows, usually on a farm or in a rural setting. In earlier times, this was a regular and important job in the farming world. It meant early mornings, physical effort, and steady skill. Besides milking, a milkmaid might also help with other dairy tasks, such as carrying milk, skimming cream, or making butter.
The term also has a strong place in culture. For centuries, milkmaids appeared in stories, poems, and paintings as symbols of country life and everyday labor. They are often shown in simple clothes, carrying pails or working quietly in a kitchen or barn. Johannes Vermeer's painting "The Milkmaid" is one of the best-known examples, and it helped fix this image in many people's minds.
Although the traditional role is far less common today because of industrial dairy farming, the word "milkmaid" still survives in historical writing, art, and descriptions of pastoral life. Most often, it simply means a woman who milks cows, but it can also suggest an old rural scene with a calm, traditional feeling. Whether you meet it in a history book, a fairy tale, or a painting, the word carries both the sense of real farm work and the lasting image of countryside life.
Examples
- 1
Village stories
In old village stories, the milkmaid is often the first person awake in the morning.
- 2
Painting
The painter showed a milkmaid carrying two heavy pails across the farmyard.
- 3
Ballet role
In the ballet, she played a cheerful milkmaid from the countryside.
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- milkmaidnoun
Forms
- milkmaidspluralnoun