estrus

Rarely es·trum

[es-truhs]

noun

Zoology.

1. the period of heat or rut; the period of maximum sexual receptivity of a female mammal.

2. estrous cycle.

estrus

/ ˈɛstrəs, ˈiːstrəs /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of oestrus

estrus

1. A regularly recurring period in female mammals other than humans during which the animal is sexually receptive. Estrus occurs around the time of ovulation.

2. Also called heat

Other Word Forms

• estrous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of estrus¹

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin oestrus oestrus