A milkman is someone whose job is delivering fresh milk and dairy products to people's homes. Before most families owned refrigerators, milk would spoil quickly at home, so milkmen would deliver it fresh each morning, often while families were still asleep. They'd leave glass bottles of milk on doorsteps and pick up the empty bottles from the day before.

This was once a common job in America and many other countries, especially from the 1920s through the 1960s. The milkman knew his route by heart and became a familiar, friendly presence in neighborhoods. People would leave notes telling him how much milk they needed, or whether they wanted butter, cream, or eggs too.

As home refrigerators became standard and supermarkets grew larger, families could buy milk once a week and keep it cold at home. The milkman gradually disappeared from most neighborhoods, though a few milk delivery services still exist today.

You might hear older relatives mention the milkman fondly, remembering the distinctive clink of glass bottles being delivered in the early morning. The milkman represents a time when many goods came directly to your door rather than requiring a trip to the store.