estrogens
|es-tro-gen|
🇺🇸
/ˈɛs.trə.dʒənz/
🇬🇧
/ˈiː.strə.dʒənz/
(estrogen)
female sex hormone
Etymology
'estrogen' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'oestrogenum', where the prefix 'oestro-' comes from Greek 'oistros' meaning 'frenzy, gadfly' and the suffix '-gen' meant 'producer'.
'estrogen' changed from the New Latin/modern scientific formation 'oestrogen' (used in 19th–20th century scientific literature) and eventually became the modern English form 'estrogen' (especially in American English) through spelling simplification and variant usage.
Initially, the root referred to 'frenzy' or 'sexual excitement' (related to 'estrus'); over time the term came to refer specifically to substances that produce estrus or female sexual development, and now denotes the group of hormones themselves.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of a group of steroid hormones (including estradiol, estrone, and estriol) that promote the development and maintenance of female secondary sexual characteristics and reproductive function.
Estrogens play a key role in the development of breasts during puberty.
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Noun 2
medicinal preparations containing estrogen(s), used in hormone replacement therapy, contraception, or to treat certain gynecological conditions.
Many postmenopausal women take estrogens to reduce hot flashes and prevent bone loss.
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Noun 3
in biological research and clinical contexts, hormones (or levels of them) that can stimulate growth of certain estrogen-sensitive cancers (e.g., some breast cancers).
High levels of estrogens may be linked to an increased risk of some breast cancers.
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Last updated: 2025/08/25 23:09