milk float

noun

, British.

1. a motor vehicle, usually battery powered, in which bottles or cartons of milk and other dairy products are delivered to homes by a daily or regular route.

milk float

noun

1. a small motor vehicle used to deliver milk to houses

Word History and Origins

Origin of milk float¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

The enthusiast's collection has since swelled to include plastic seals with Christmas messages written on them and photographs of electric milk floats.

From BBC

She went to the grocery store where he worked and said, "Les, come out and see my milk float," and it was a big lorry.

From BBC

The hum of the milk float and the clink of bottles on the doorstep was once a familiar sound of early mornings in towns and cities across the UK.

From BBC

Coconut milk floats slices of rockfish that are rousing with lime and crisped with rice in one first course, enjoyed with a tapioca chip for scooping.

From Washington Post

Electric milk floats, as they are known in Britain, have been a part of daily life for generations, with milkmen delivering glass bottles to people’s homes every morning.

From Reuters