dysmenorrhea

noun

dys·​men·​or·​rhea (ˌ)dis-ˌme-nə-ˈrē-ə 

: painful menstruation

dysmenorrheic

(ˌ)dis-ˌme-nə-ˈrē-ik 

adjective

Examples of dysmenorrhea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When your period becomes a painful problem From a medical POV, period pain can typically be broken down into two categories: primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. —Korin Miller, SELF, 26 June 2024

Primary dysmenorrhea is the cramping that most people feel before or during their periods, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). —Korin Miller, SELF, 26 June 2024

Her journey began with a personal quest for relief from the debilitating pain of dysmenorrhea, leading her to discover the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. —Javier Hasse, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

Around the world in Taiwan, a study carried out by China Medical University in Taichung found that women exposed to the highest levels of air pollution were 33 times more likely to develop dysmenorrhea, or painful periods. —Elizabeth Wells and Eoin McSweeney, CNN, 5 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, from dys- dys- + menorrhea, menorrhoea "menstrual flow," from meno- meno- + -rrhea, rrhoea -rrhea

First Known Use

circa 1810, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dysmenorrhea

noun

dys·​men·​or·​rhea

variants or chiefly British dysmenorrhoea

(ˌ)dis-ˌmen-ə-ˈrē-ə 

: painful menstruation see spasmodic dysmenorrhea

dysmenorrheic adjective

or chiefly British dysmenorrhoeic

-ˈrē-ik