teat

A teat is the small part of a female mammal's body from which milk comes, especially in animals such as cows, goats, sheep, or dogs. It is the part that a young animal suckles when feeding. In everyday English, this word is used mostly for animals, not for people. You will usually meet it in farming, animal care, or veterinary contexts. It can also mean the soft feeding part on a baby bottle or an animal feeding bottle.

Imagine a tiny calf, wobbly on its legs, seeking nourishment. It finds comfort and sustenance at the teat of its mother—that small, sensitive projection from which milk flows. This is the core meaning of the word: the mammary nipple of a mammal, specifically adapted for nursing young.

The word is most often used when talking about animals rather than humans. On a farm, it is a normal and practical word. Cows have four teats, while goats and sheep usually have two. Farmers and veterinarians often talk about teat health because injury or infection can make feeding difficult and can affect milk production.

By extension, "teat" can also mean the rubber or silicone part of a feeding bottle that a baby or young animal sucks on. This sense is common in British English and in animal care. In short, the word usually points to a natural milk-giving part in animals, and sometimes to an artificial feeding part made to copy it.