• (British) IPA: /ˈpɒsɪt/
• (GA) IPA: /ˈpɑsɪt/

posset (plural possets)

1. A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, such as wine.
   • c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:

     I have drugged their possets.

2. A baby's vomit, comprising curdled milk.
   • 2008, Miriam Stoppard, Complete Baby and Childcare: Everything You Need to Know for the First Five Years, Dorling Kindersley Ltd ISBN 9781405333931

     Some people will tell you that this position may allow inhalation of posset, but there is no evidence to support this.

   • 2012, Dave Hill, Man Alive, Hachette UK ISBN 9780755396580

     Derek saw that a smear of posset had appeared on the left shoulder of his jacket [...] He smiled softly at Charlotte and said softly, 'I've been puked on.'

   • 2014, Nick Harper, Help! I'm a Dad: All a new dad needs to know about the difficult first few months, Michael O'Mara Books ISBN 9781782432388

     While a little posseting is nothing to be worried about, a lot of posset is more likely to be 'reflux'.

posset (possets, present participle posseting; past and past participle posseted)

1. (obsolete) To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate.

   to posset the blood

2. To treat with possets; to pamper.
   • 1908, Arnold Bennett, The Old Wives' Tale

     Nevertheless, as she laid him in bed and posseted him, how frail and fragile he looked!

3. (of a baby) To vomit up curdled milk.
   • 1990, Miriam Stoppard, The New Baby Care Book ISBN 9780863184529

     Some babies never posset at all. Others do so with surprising ease, and this can be quite a cause of concern to parents.

   • 2003, Pearson Education, Limited, Baby's First Year, Pearson South Africa ISBN 9781868911875, page 23

     All babies posset.

   • 2012, Andy Raffles, Felicity Fine, Harriet Sharkey, Yehudi Gordon, Mother and Baby Health: The A-Z of pregnancy, birth and beyond, Random House ISBN 9781446490167, page 421

     It's also common for babies to 'posset' - bring up small amounts of milk after a feed - and to vomit occasionally.

• (pamper) coddle, cosset, pamper; see also Thesaurus:pamper