bottle-feed

verb

bot·​tle-feed ˈbä-tᵊl-ˌfēd How to pronounce bottle-feed (audio)
bottle-fed; bottle-feeding
Synonyms of bottle-feednext

transitive verb

: to feed with a bottle
bottle-feed an infant

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bottle-feed was circa 1869

Rhymes for bottle-feed

See All Rhymes for bottle-feed

Browse Nearby Words

bottle episode
bottle-feed
bottle fern
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bottle-feed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottle-feed. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

bottle-feed

verb
bot·​tle-feed
ˈbät-ᵊl-ˌfēd
bottle-fed; bottle-feeding
: to feed (as an infant) with a bottle

Medical Definition

bottle-feed

transitive verb
bot·​tle-feed ˈbät-ᵊl-ˌfēd How to pronounce bottle-feed (audio)
bottle-fed; bottle-feeding
: to feed (an infant) from a bottle rather than by breastfeeding

More from Merriam-Webster on bottle-feed

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bottle-feed

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