Meaning & use
lactose intolerant
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparablemedical
Unable to digest lactose, the sugar in milk, properly, so that dairy foods cause stomach discomfort.
Grammar: Used after 'be' or before a noun: She is lactose intolerant; a lactose intolerant child.
Patterns
- be lactose intolerant
I am lactose intolerant, so I order oat milk in my coffee.
Many adults around the world are lactose intolerant.
The restaurant marks dishes that suit guests who are lactose intolerant.
Common combinations
- be lactose intolerant
- My brother found out he was lactose intolerant at age twenty.
- a lactose intolerant person
- A lactose intolerant person may still tolerate yogurt.
- diagnosed as lactose intolerant
- She was diagnosed as lactose intolerant after some tests.
- become lactose intolerant
- Some people become lactose intolerant as they grow older.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dairy intolerant
- This is less precise because it could mean a reaction to milk proteins, not only the sugar lactose.
Opposites
Word family
- lactose noun
- the natural sugar found in milk
- lactose intolerance noun
- the condition of being unable to digest lactose
- lactose-free adjective
- made without lactose
Commonly confused: lactose intolerant or allergic to milk?
lactose intolerant vs allergic to milk
A milk allergy is an immune reaction to milk protein and can be dangerous, while lactose intolerance is a digestive problem and not an allergy.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lactose intolerant' correctly?
Choose one answer.
It is an adjective used after 'be'. It does not take 'of' with other foods and is not a noun or verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lactose intolerant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.