estrus
Americannoun
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the period of heat or rut; the period of maximum sexual receptivity of a female mammal.
noun
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A regularly recurring period in female mammals other than humans during which the animal is sexually receptive. Estrus occurs around the time of ovulation.
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Also called heat
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of estrus
First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin oestrus oestrus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While it’s well established that lengthening daylight triggers a cat’s estrus, the effect of rising temperatures on kitten season isn’t yet understood.
From Salon • Mar. 19, 2024
Otter moms will often go immediately into estrus if they lose a pup.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023
Females of these species mate only during the estrus phase of the cycle.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
Mei Xiang, who is 18 years old and has birthed three cubs at the zoo, has been showing signs over the past few weeks of being in estrus.
From Washington Post • May 23, 2017
Even mainstream trainers would drop pennies in mares’ water buckets to halt estrus, or exhaust themselves trying to get a mane that fell to the left—a bad omen—to fall to the right.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
