Wean

Pronunciation: /win/

Definitions of wean

verb to gradually withdraw from a type of behavior or habit

Example Sentences

A1 The mother decided to wean her baby off breastmilk.

A2 It can be challenging to wean a toddler off pacifiers.

B1 Parents often wean their children off sugary snacks to promote healthier eating habits.

B2 The doctor recommended weaning off the medication slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

C1 As we age, we may need to wean ourselves off certain habits to maintain good health.

C2 The company plans to wean off fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy sources.

Examples of wean in a Sentence

formal It is important to wean infants off breastmilk gradually to avoid digestive issues.

informal We need to wean the puppy off table scraps and onto dog food.

slang I'm trying to wean myself off social media, but it's so addictive!

figurative As we grow older, we must wean ourselves off of old habits and embrace new ones.

Grammatical Forms of wean

• past tense: weaned
• plural: wean
• comparative: more wean
• superlative: most wean
• present tense: wean
• future tense: will wean
• perfect tense: have weaned
• continuous tense: is weaning
• singular: weans
• positive degree: wean
• infinitive: to wean
• gerund: weaning
• participle: weaned

Origin and Evolution of wean

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'wean' originated from the Old English word 'wenian' which means to accustom or habituate.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'wean' evolved to specifically refer to the process of gradually accustoming a child or animal to no longer rely on breastfeeding for nourishment.