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

Chelsea need to overcome a 5-2 deficit on Tuesday night after a late collapse away at PSG in the first-leg at Parc des Princes.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

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

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Go to the Marché des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd arrondissement in Paris for fresh oysters and a cheese plate, or to the Marché des Carmes in Toulouse for some lamb chops and fried scallops.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

Viollet-le-Duc did not study at the state-run École des Beaux Arts, but came to architecture by means of drawing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

At that moment, as though she’d called him up by saying his name, Amadeus von Linden himself turned the corner of the street, walking toward the Place des Hirondelles.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein