Dairy vs. Diary: What's the Difference?
Though similar in spelling, dairy and diary serve vastly different functions in the English language. Dairy refers to milk-based products or a farm specializing in the production of milk and milk products. Diary, on the other hand, is a personal record of daily events, thoughts, or experiences, usually kept regularly and in a notebook format.
How do you use the word dairy in a sentence?
The term dairy is primarily used as a noun, relating to either milk production in agriculture or to food products made from milk. You could be referring to a dairy farm where cows are milked, or to dairy items like cheese and yogurt found at the grocery store.
Examples of dairy in a sentence
- I have to avoid dairy products because I'm lactose intolerant.
- They own a dairy farm just outside of town.
- You can find dairy alternatives made from almond and soy.
How do you use the word diary in a sentence?
Diary is used as a noun to describe a private journal or log where individuals document their daily activities, thoughts, or feelings. People often use the term when talking about keeping records of their personal lives, whether for reflection or memory-keeping.
Examples of diary in a sentence
- She writes in her diary every night before bed.
- His travel diary was full of vivid descriptions and sketches.
- Reading someone else's diary without permission is an invasion of privacy.
Dairy and diary definition, parts of speech, and pronunciation
Dairy definition:
Dairy (noun): a place where milk is processed and turned into products like cheese, butter, and yogurt or a category of food products that are made from or contain milk.
Dairy parts of speech:
Dairy pronunciation:
Dairy is pronounced as /ˈde(ə)rē/.
Diary definition:
Diary (noun): a book in which one keeps a daily record of events and experiences.
Diary parts of speech:
Diary pronunciation:
Diary is pronounced as /ˈdaɪəri/.
Dairy (noun): a place where milk is processed and turned into products like cheese, butter, and yogurt or a category of food products that are made from or contain milk.
Dairy parts of speech:
- Please pick up some dairy on your way home; we're out of milk and cheese.
Dairy pronunciation:
Dairy is pronounced as /ˈde(ə)rē/.
Diary definition:
Diary (noun): a book in which one keeps a daily record of events and experiences.
Diary parts of speech:
- He realized he forgot to make an entry in his diary for the day.
Diary pronunciation:
Diary is pronounced as /ˈdaɪəri/.
Dairy vs. Diary in a nutshell
In essence, dairy is all about products related to milk, whether it be the place where these products are made or the category of foods themselves. On the other hand, a diary is a personal journal where one documents daily life. Remembering the difference is as simple as noting the 'i' in diary stands for 'individual', helping you to recall its personal nature, versus the 'a' in dairy, which you might associate with 'agriculture' or 'animal products'.
Get AI Writing Assistance Wherever You Type
Make sure your vocabulary is on point and every punctuation mark is in the right place, no matter where you’re working. Grammarly works across more than 500,000 websites and apps so you can improve your writing without copying, pasting, or breaking focused.
More Commonly Confused Words
Interest piqued? Pore (not pour) over other commonly confused words to help your writing reach peak (not peek) performance.