diethylstilbestrol

American  

[dahy-eth-uhl-stil-bes-trawl, -trol] / daɪˌɛθ əl stɪlˈbɛs trɔl, -trɒl /

Also stilbestrol, or diethylstilboestrol

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a nonsteroidal synthetic estrogen, C 18 H 20 O 2 , used in medicine chiefly in the treatment of menopausal symptoms and for chemical castration: formerly used during pregnancy for the prevention of miscarriage but discontinued owing to its association with an increased risk of vaginal and cervical cancers. DES

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diethylstilbestrol British  

/ daɪˌɛθɪlstɪlˈbɛstrɒl, -ˌiːθaɪl- /

noun

1. Also called: stilbestrol.   stilboestrol.  a synthetic hormone with oestrogenic properties, used to relieve menopausal symptoms. Formula: OHC 6 H 4 CH:CHC 6 H 4 OH

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diethylstilbestrol Scientific  

/ dī-ĕth′əl-stĭl-bĕs′trôl′,-trōl′ /

1. See DES

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Etymology

Origin of diethylstilbestrol

First recorded in 1935–40; di- ¹ + ethyl + stilbestrol, equivalent to stilb(ene) ( def. ), estr(us), -ol ¹

Example Sentences

In her speech, Ms. Sturgeon also apologized for how some women, up until the early ’70s, were given diethylstilbestrol, a drug that dried up their breast milk and that has been linked to cancer.

From New York Times • Mar. 24, 2023

Cohn said in an interview that her group decided to investigate the long-term effects of Makena because of its similarity to another synthetic hormone called diethylstilbestrol, or DES.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2022

The danger of estrogen-like chemicals already has been well-documented with DES, or diethylstilbestrol, a drug that was prescribed to millions of women at risk of miscarriages between 1940 and 1971.

From Scientific American • Jul. 31, 2012

In people, the most notorious example of an endocrine disruptor is the drug diethylstilbestrol, or DES, which was given to pregnant women in the 1950s in the mistaken belief that it could prevent miscarriage.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2010

Beginning in 1946, pregnant women with histories of spontaneous abortions were frequently treated with diethylstilbestrol, an artificial hormone.

From Time Magazine Archive