: a regularly recurrent state of sexual receptivity during which the female of most mammals will accept the male and is capable of conceiving : heat
Some mares will exhibit estrus for 15 to 20 days.—
Frederick Harper
Frederick Harper
also
: a single occurrence of this state
Examples of estrus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While it’s well established that lengthening daylight triggers a cat’s estrus, the effect of rising temperatures on kitten season isn’t yet understood.
—Sachi Mulkey, WIRED, 23 Mar. 2024
Normally cycling participants earned about US$335 per 5-h shift during estrus, US$260 per shift during the luteal phase, and US$185 per shift during menstruation.
—Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019
These results constitute the first direct economic evidence for the existence and importance of estrus in contemporary human females, in a real-world work setting.
—Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019
Consider the case of Herman, an adult male Indian rhinoceros who had caught the scent of a female in estrus.
—Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
These stags are in peak-rut form, all vying for the attention of the hinds in estrus.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 24 Aug. 2023
Festo talks me through the drama as the bull ignores the matriarch to diligently sniff for a female in estrus.
—Saumya Ancheri, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2022
Are there different types of female orgasm?NCBI ROFL: Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: economic evidence for human estrus?
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2015
Plus, deer kept moving in faster than they could be sterilized, which Curtis attributes to new bucks being attracted to the ongoing estrus of the does that didn’t get pregnant.
—Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2021
Sachi Mulkey, WIRED, 23 Mar. 2024
Normally cycling participants earned about US$335 per 5-h shift during estrus, US$260 per shift during the luteal phase, and US$185 per shift during menstruation.
—Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019
These results constitute the first direct economic evidence for the existence and importance of estrus in contemporary human females, in a real-world work setting.
—Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019
Consider the case of Herman, an adult male Indian rhinoceros who had caught the scent of a female in estrus.
—Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
These stags are in peak-rut form, all vying for the attention of the hinds in estrus.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 24 Aug. 2023
Festo talks me through the drama as the bull ignores the matriarch to diligently sniff for a female in estrus.
—Saumya Ancheri, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2022
Are there different types of female orgasm?NCBI ROFL: Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: economic evidence for human estrus?
—Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2015
Plus, deer kept moving in faster than they could be sterilized, which Curtis attributes to new bucks being attracted to the ongoing estrus of the does that didn’t get pregnant.
—Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'estrus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near estrus
Cite this Entry
“Estrus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estrus. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
estrus
noun
es·trus
ˈes-trəs 
1
: a periodic state during which the female of most mammals is willing to mate with the male and is capable of becoming pregnant
2
estrous
adjective
-trəs
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share