anestrous
|a-nes-trous|
C2
🇺🇸
/əˈnɛstrəs/
🇬🇧
/əˈniːstrəs/
not in estrus; sexually inactive period
Etymology
Etymology Information
'anestrous' originates from Greek, specifically the prefix 'an-' meaning 'not' and 'oestrus' meaning 'frenzy' or 'gadfly' (referring to the estrus cycle).
Historical Evolution
'anestrous' was formed in modern scientific English from the Greek roots 'an-' and 'oestrus', and eventually became the modern English word 'anestrous'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'not in estrus', and this meaning has remained the same in modern scientific usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or denoting a period of sexual inactivity between periods of estrus in female mammals.
The cow was anestrous during the winter months.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/06 01:21