estrogen
noun
es·tro·gen
ˈe-strə-jən 
: any of various natural steroids (such as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system
also
: any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (such as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens
Examples of estrogen in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The recommendations, which were published in the medical journal Stroke, also warn that trans women who take the hormone estrogen for gender affirmation care may face a higher stroke risk.
—
Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 29 Oct. 2024
Oral Contraceptives People who have used oral contraceptives with higher estrogen content are twice as likely to experience a stroke later in life as people who use birth control pills with little or no estrogen, according to the guidelines.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Rates of breast cancer in women under 50 have increased more than 15% in the last two decades, a rise that is almost entirely driven by an increase in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ER+), a tumor subtype that needs the hormone estrogen to grow and spread.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 19 Oct. 2024
During menopause, the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease, and menstruation stops.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 10 Oct. 2024
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Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 29 Oct. 2024
Oral Contraceptives People who have used oral contraceptives with higher estrogen content are twice as likely to experience a stroke later in life as people who use birth control pills with little or no estrogen, according to the guidelines.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Rates of breast cancer in women under 50 have increased more than 15% in the last two decades, a rise that is almost entirely driven by an increase in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (ER+), a tumor subtype that needs the hormone estrogen to grow and spread.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 19 Oct. 2024
During menopause, the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone decrease, and menstruation stops.
—Carley Millhone, Health, 10 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for estrogen
Dictionary Entries Near estrogen
Cite this Entry
“Estrogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/estrogen. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
estrogen
noun
es·tro·gen
ˈes-trə-jən
: a substance that tends to cause the development of secondary sex characteristics in the female and promote the growth and normal functioning of the female reproductive system
estrogenic
adjective
ˌes-trə-ˈjen-ik
Medical Definition
estrogen
noun
es·tro·gen
ˈes-trə-jən
variants
or chiefly British oestrogen
: any of various natural steroids (as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system
also
: any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens
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