estrogen

[es-truh-juh n]

noun Biochemistry.

any of several major female sex hormones produced primarily by the ovarian follicles of female mammals, capable of inducing estrus, developing and maintaining secondary female sex characteristics, and preparing the uterus for the reception of a fertilized egg: used, especially in synthetic form, as a component of oral contraceptives, in certain cancer treatments, and in other therapies.

Origin of estrogen

First recorded in 1925–30; estr(us) + -o- + -gen

Related formsan·ti·es·tro·gen, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for antiestrogen

estrogen

noun

the usual US spelling of oestrogen

Derived Formsestrogenic (ˌɛstrəˈdʒɛnɪk, ˌiːstrə-), adjectiveestrogenically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for antiestrogen

estrogen

coined 1927 from estrus + -gen. So called for the hormone's ability to produce estrus.

antiestrogen in Medicine

antiestrogen

[ăn′tē-ĕs′trə-jən, ăn′tī-]

n.

A substance capable of preventing full expression of the biological effects of an estrogen.

estrogen

n.

Any of several natural or synthetic substances formed by the ovary, placenta, testis, and certain plants, that stimulate the female secondary sex characteristics, exert systemic effects such as the growth and maturation of long bones, and are used to treat disorders due to estrogen deficiency and to ameliorate cancers of the breast and prostate.estrin

antiestrogen in Science

estrogen

[ĕs′trə-jən]

Any of a group of steroid hormones that primarily regulate the growth, development, and function of the female reproductive system. The main sources of estrogen in the body are the ovaries and the placenta. Estrogen-like compounds are also formed by certain plants.

antiestrogen in Culture

estrogen

[(es-truh-juhn)]

A group of hormones, secreted mainly by the ovaries, that influence the female reproductive system in many ways, notably in preparing the body for ovulation and in the development of female secondary sex characteristics.