menstruation

noun

men·​stru·​a·​tion ˌmen(t)-strü-ˈwā-shən 

men-ˈstrā-

: a cyclical discharging of blood, secretions, and tissue debris from the uterus that recurs in nonpregnant breeding-age primate females at approximately monthly intervals and that is considered to represent a readjustment of the uterus to the nonpregnant state following proliferative changes accompanying the preceding ovulation

also : period sense 6c

Synonyms

• monthlies
• period

Example Sentences

a first menstruation can be somewhat scary for girls who are unprepared

Recent Examples on the Web

After Margaret came Deenie, Flubber and Forever, among others, which addressed then-taboo subjects like menstruation and masturbation. —Kate Tuttle, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2023

Taboos are being shattered—particularly around topics like menstruation, menopause, and women’s bodies. —WIRED, 29 Mar. 2023

While the bill doesn’t explicitly mention menstruation, an early version sought to limit health education before sixth grade. —Rachel Janfaza, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2023

One of its most noteworthy new features includes temperature tracking, which can help accurately track your menstruation cycle. —Samantha Jones, Good Housekeeping, 23 Mar. 2023

That Republicans in Florida choose to shroud this reality and to force young people into silence says very little about any inherent shame in menstruation or living in a female body. —Jill Filipovic, CNN, 21 Mar. 2023

The association’s board has an emergency meeting Thursday to vote on whether to adopt the four-page form — which would remove questions that force student-athletes to share details about their menstruation cycles in order to be participate in sports. —Mike Schneider, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2023

Co-founder Miki Agrawal was lauded for tackling menstruation, often a taboo subject, in public. —Suryatapa Bhattacharya, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2023

Reports of precocious menstruation and conception date back to at least the mid-sixteenth century: the most famous case was that of a Swiss child named Anne Mummethaler (or Mummenthaler), born in 1751, who began menstruating at the age of two and gave birth to a stillborn at the age of eight. —Madeleine Watts, Harper’s Magazine , 25 May 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

menstruation

noun

men·​stru·​a·​tion ˌmen(t)-strə-ˈwā-shən 

men-ˈstrā-shən

: a discharging of blood, secretions, and tissue debris from the uterus at periods of approximately one month in female primates of breeding age that are not pregnant

also : period sense 3c

Medical Definition

menstruation

noun

men·​stru·​a·​tion ˌmen(t)-strə-ˈwā-shən, men-ˈstrā- 

: a discharging of blood, secretions, and tissue debris from the uterus that recurs in nonpregnant human and other primate females of breeding age at approximately monthly intervals and that is considered to represent a readjustment of the uterus to the nonpregnant state following proliferative changes accompanying the preceding ovulation

also : period sense 1b