menopause

American  

[men-uh-pawz] / ˈmɛn əˌpɔz /

noun

Physiology.

1. the period of permanent cessation of menstruation, usually occurring between the ages of 45 and 55.

2. male menopause.

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menopause British  

/ ˈmɛnəʊˌpɔːz /

noun

1. Nontechnical name: change of life. the period during which a woman's menstrual cycle ceases, normally occurring at an age of 45 to 50

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menopause Scientific  

/ mĕn′ə-pôz′ /

1. The time at which menstruation ceases, occurring usually between 45 and 55 years of age in humans.

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menopause Cultural  

1. The period in a woman's life when her menstrual cycles stop. Menopause typically occurs between the ages of forty-five and fifty-five.

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Other Word Forms

• menopausal
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of menopause

From the French word ménopause, dating back to 1870–75. See meno-, pause

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

menopause

Perimenopause’s journey from little-understood phase before menopause to the subject of every ad on social media for women of a certain age was quick—and impossible to imagine without the internet.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026

"I had to leave my job. This was at perimenopause time. My message to women is that, menopause is not the danger zone, it's the run up, it's the 45 to 54."

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Williams, who initially self-diagnosed, wants other women to be aware of perimenopause, the years leading up to menopause, which she described as the "danger zone".

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

Even as I adjusted to a new menopause normal, some symptoms, like anxiety, still surged.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Esteban said that it was menopause and that there was nothing anyone could do.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

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