estrogen

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noun es·tro·gen \ ˈe-strə-jən \

Definition of estrogen

:any of various natural steroids (such as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system; also :any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (such as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens

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Recent Examples of estrogen from the Web

And the study authors said that the method of estrogen delivery mattered.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "Estrogen patch may boost women's sex lives in menopause," 29 Aug. 2017
Imagine the same column replacing testosterone with estrogen.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Charlottesville Response Should Change Everything—and Will Change Nothing," 18 Aug. 2017
Over the decades, the amount of estrogen in the pill decreased, and the side effect of weight gain (along with the high risk of more serious adverse reactions) disappeared.

— stephanie bucklin, The Cut, "The Pill Causing Weight Gain Is the Myth That Won’t Go Away," 11 Aug. 2017
Growing up with all that estrogen meant oversharing, endless laughing and a whole lot of fighting.

— michelle manetti, Good Housekeeping, "20 Things You'll Only Understand If You Have a Sister," 2 Aug. 2017
A simple question — weighed down by a clunky domain name — is drawing attention to the serious lack of estrogen in Illinois’ gubernatorial race.

— heidi stevens, chicagotribune.com, "Why is Illinois' governor's race a big ol' testosterone fest?," 11 July 2017
The brain tells the body to decrease the estrogen supply, so periods eventually decrease in frequency (called oligomenorrhea) and then stop (called amenorrhea).

— Cincinnati.com, "Column: Helping female athletes to healthy mind, body," 5 July 2017
Alcohol can also damage our DNA, help carry cancer-causing substances into cells, or be linked with higher levels of estrogen, which could help cancer cells grow.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Healthy eating could reduce your cancer risk," 28 June 2017
Women naturally have high levels of estrogen, which can accelerate the formation of gallstones.

— Philly.com, "Q&A: Three factors that affect gallbladder health," 15 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'estrogen.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of estrogen

New Latin estrus + International Scientific Vocabulary -o- + -gen

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1927

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ESTROGEN Defined for English Language Learners

estrogen

play

noun

Definition of estrogen for English Language Learners

medical : a substance (called a hormone) that occurs naturally in women

Medical Dictionary

estrogen

play

noun es·tro·gen \ ˈes-trə-jən \

variants: or chiefly British oestrogen play \ˈē-strə-jən\

medical Definition of estrogen

:any of various natural steroids (as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system; also :any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens

—

estrogen-like

or estrogenlike play \-ˌlīk\ adjective

- an estrogen-like compound
- estrogen-like effects

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Spanish Central: Translation of estrogen Nglish: Translation of estrogen for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of estrogen for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about estrogen

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estrogen

Definition of estrogen

Recent Examples of estrogen from the Web

Origin and Etymology of estrogen

ESTROGEN Defined for English Language Learners

estrogen

Definition of estrogen for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

estrogen

medical Definition of estrogen

estrogen-like

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estrogen

Definition of estrogen for English Language Learners

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estrogen

medical Definition of estrogen

estrogen-like

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