menopause

noun men·o·pause \ ˈme-nə-ˌpȯz , ˈmē- \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of menopause

1 : the natural cessation of menstruation that usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55; also : the period during which such cessation occurs — called also climacteric ; compare perimenopause

2 : cessation of menstruation from other than natural causes

—

menopausal

play \ˌme-nə-ˈpȯ-zəl, ˌmē-\ adjective

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Recent Examples of menopause from the Web

Until midlife, men usually harbor a greater percentage of visceral fat than women do, but the pattern usually reverses as women pass through menopause.

— New York Times, "The Dangers of Belly Fat," 11 June 2018
Doctors said the finding could spare tens of thousands of women a year from chemo side effects such as nausea and early menopause.

— gerard baker, WSJ, "The 10-Point.," 4 June 2018
But what's worse, at least for women, is a shift, around menopause, in where this excess flab accumulates.

— claudia wallis, Scientific American, "The Belly Fat Battle," 1 May 2018
As time went on, full-time staff members updated the book to include new subjects, from the impact of hormonal treatments on menopause to racial disparities in maternal health, Shepard said.

— vikki ortiz, chicagotribune.com, "'Our Bodies, Ourselves' — a 'beacon of light' for millions of women — fades away in digital age," 11 Apr. 2018
Clocking in at 20 minutes, the mesh implant is a quick fix aimed at repairing common complications from childbirth and menopause.

— marian liu, CNN, "Australia investigates implants that left some women with 'rotting pelvises'," 28 Mar. 2018
When Noxon wrote menopause plots into the show, the network discouraged her from using the word or spending too much time on the subject.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "Marti Noxon Wants to Put Angry Women on TV," 15 May 2018
The shift helps to explain why, after menopause, women begin to catch up to men in their rates of cardiovascular disease.

— claudia wallis, Scientific American, "The Belly Fat Battle," 1 May 2018
For an older woman the cause might be changing hormones caused by menopause, and that’s a normal part of the aging process, though your doctor might be able to provide some relief.

— Time, "Ask Dr. Ruth: How Do I Boost My Sex Drive?," 20 Apr. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of menopause

French ménopause, from méno- men- + pause stop, pause

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1872

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

MENOPAUSE Defined for English Language Learners

menopause

noun

Definition of menopause for English Language Learners

: the time in a woman's life when blood stops flowing from her body each month : the time when a woman stops menstruating

Medical Dictionary

menopause

noun meno·pause \ ˈmen-ə-ˌpȯz , ˈmēn- \

medical Definition of menopause

1 a (1) : the natural cessation of menstruation occurring usually between the ages of 45 and 55

… osteoporosis, which increases the risk of hip and spine fractures, is a well-known consequence of menopause.
—Daniel D. Federman, The New England Journal of Medicine, 6 Apr. 2006

(2) : the physiological period in the life of a woman in which such cessation and the accompanying regression of ovarian function occurs