Meaning & Definition of word "Wean"
Wean
/wiːn/
verb:
- 1. To gradually deprive an infant or young animal of its mother's milk and to accustom it to food.
- Example: The mother decided to wean her baby when he turned six months old.
- 2. To detach or free from a habitual dependency or activity.
- Example: She tried to wean herself off caffeine by switching to herbal tea.
- 3. To dispose of or rid oneself of a reliance on.
- Example: The therapist suggested ways to wean him from his compulsive behaviors.
Etymology
●Middle English, from Old English 'wenian' meaning 'to accustom, lead away'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
wean off:
to gradually stop using or depending on something.
weaned on:
to be raised or conditioned to something since childhood.
Related Words
weaning:
the process of gradually withdrawing a young mammal from its mother's milk.
breastfeeding:
the act of feeding a baby with milk from the breast.