des

¹ American  

[dey] / deɪ /

preposition

1. used in French names as a contraction of de and the article les: François des Adrets.

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DES ² American  

abbreviation

1. diethylstilbestrol.

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-des ³ American  

1. a plural suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek.

   proboscides.

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DES British  

abbreviation

1. Department of Education and Science

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DES Scientific  

/ dē′ē-ĕs′ /

1. Short for diethylstilbestrol. A synthetic nonsteroidal substance having estrogenic properties and prescribed between 1938 and 1971 to pregnant women with a history of miscarriage and other problems of pregnancy. It is no longer used due to the incidence of certain vaginal cancers and other disorders in the daughters of women so treated.

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Etymology

Origin of -des

< Greek, nominative plural of d- stem nouns

Example Sentences

But according to the Cour des Comptes, the new system relied excessively – and mistakenly – on good faith.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

The Cour des Comptes said the state had been lax in not checking the credentials of the 30,000 dealers to whom it allows access to the SIV.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

On Tuesday, des Cars handed in her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Laurence des Cars, the first woman to lead the Louvre, said she no longer felt able to fully carry out her responsibilities because of a lack of clarity over priorities and resources.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

We came around the corner of the back lane and into the Place des Hirondelles, the town hall square, full of armored vehicles and bored-looking sentries.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein