amenorrhea

Or a·men·or·rhoe·a

[ey-men-uh-ree-uh, uh-men-]

noun

Pathology.

1. absence of the menses.

amenorrhea

1. The absence of menstruation in a woman between puberty and menopause. Some causes include pregnancy, decreased body weight, endocrine and other medical disorders, and certain medications.

Other Word Forms

• amenorrheal adjective
• amenorrhoeal adjective
• amenorrheic adjective
• amenorrhoeic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of amenorrhea¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; a- ⁶ + meno- + -rrhea

Example Sentences

Dr. Smith: Weight loss, changes in bone density and amenorrhea, which is when females aren’t menstruating.

From New York Times

The prolonged starvation of anorexia can lead to low estrogen and progesterone in women, often accompanied by amenorrhea.

From Washington Post

It is why the U.S.-based Population Council and others joined in the campaign to encourage breastfeeding and to prolong postpartum amenorrhea.

From Salon

In practice, nomadic hunter-gatherers space their children about four years apart by means of lactational amenorrhea, sexual abstinence, infanticide, and abortion.

From Literature

She said about 25 percent of women who use this method will experience induced amenorrhea — or the absence of menstruation — after one year, and 50 percent after two years.

From New York Times