birth-control pill

American  

[burth-kuhn-trohl] / ˈbɜrθ kənˌtroʊl /

noun

1. an oral contraceptive for women, containing the hormones estrogen and progesterone or progesterone alone, that inhibits ovulation, fertilization, or implantation of a fertilized ovum, causing temporary infertility.

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Etymology

Origin of birth-control pill

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

"It may be that the day will come when people say the birth-control pill was a mistake," Alan Sears explained.

From Salon • Oct. 9, 2023

Food and Drug Administration approved a birth-control pill called Opill for use without a prescription on Thursday.

From Scientific American • Jul. 13, 2023

“Too many women are in the dark when it comes to their own fertility. Should an app replace your birth-control pill? No.”

From The New Yorker • Oct. 2, 2018

Carl Djerassi, 91, the Stanford University chemist widely considered the father of the birth-control pill, died Jan. 30 in San Francisco.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2015

With the introduction of the birth-control pill, the legalization of abortion and a lessening of the stigma of unwed motherhood, the homes began closing.

From New York Times • Dec. 8, 2012