oral contraceptive

noun

plural oral contraceptives

: any of various preparations that typically contain progestin either alone or in combination with estrogen, are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : birth control pill

Johns Hopkins University has estimated that 80 percent of American women born since 1945 have used oral contraceptives at some time.

—The New York Times

And because it's a combined oral contraceptive … meaning that it contains progestin and estrogen, it's not recommended for nursing moms …

—Caitlin Stine

She is considering having another child and is wondering whether she should discontinue oral contraceptives to attempt pregnancy.

—G. Adam Davidson

Examples of oral contraceptive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There's no evidence that oral contraceptives cause PCOS. —Ann Pietrangelo, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025

Birth control pills: Daily oral contraceptives contain a combination of estrogen and progestin or just progestin. —Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 14 Jan. 2025

America's first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available soon More than 50 years after the oral contraceptive pill went on the market in the United States, the country's first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in stores and online nationwide later this month. —Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2024

Stopping oral contraceptives can sometimes shrink or heal the tumor. —Robert Burakoff, Verywell Health, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1932, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for oral contraceptive

• deceptive
• perceptive
• receptive
• nociceptive
• proprioceptive

Medical Definition

oral contraceptive

noun

: any of various preparations that typically contain a progestin (such as norethindrone or levonorgestrel) either alone or in combination with an estrogen (such as ethinyl estradiol or mestranol), are taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives (see contraceptive entry 1) by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, or thinning the uterine lining : birth control pill