progestational

adjective

pro·​ges·​ta·​tion·​al ˌprō-ˌje-ˈstā-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce progestational (audio)
: preceding pregnancy or gestation
especially : of, relating to, inducing, or constituting the modifications of the female mammalian system associated especially with ovulation and corpus luteum formation
progestational hormones

Word History

Etymology

pro- entry 1 + gestation + -al entry 1

Note: The term was apparently introduced by the American anatomist and embryologist George Washington Corner (1889-1981) in "Oestrus, Ovulation and Menstruation," Physiological Reviews, vol. 4, no. 3 (October, 1923), pp. 457-82.

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of progestational was in 1923

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Progestational.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/progestational. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.

Medical Definition

progestational

adjective
pro·​ges·​ta·​tion·​al ˌprō-ˌjes-ˈtā-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl How to pronounce progestational (audio)
: preceding pregnancy or gestation
especially : of, relating to, inducing, or constituting the modifications of the female mammalian system associated especially with ovulation and corpus luteum formation
progestational hormones
Last Updated: - Definition revised
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