menses

American  

[men-seez] / ˈmɛn siz /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. the periodic flow of blood and mucosal tissue from the uterus; menstrual flow.

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menses British  

/ ˈmɛnsiːz /

noun

1. another name for menstruation

2. the period of time, usually from three to five days, during which menstruation occurs

3. the matter discharged during menstruation

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menses Scientific  

/ mĕn′sēz /

1. See menstruation

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Etymology

Origin of menses

1590–1600; < Latin mēnsēs, plural of mēnsis month

Example Sentences

"Discrepancies in the incidence of who gets migraine attacks associated with menses is likely due to premenopausal women having more regular menstrual cycles and thus more menstrual-related migraines," says Ailani.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2024

Anytime before the “quickening”—the time in pregnancy around 16-18 weeks when women can feel the fetus moving within them— women could ingest herbs or teas to try to get their menses to restart.

From Slate • Jul. 18, 2022

Just like the reason she started taking birth control: to help mitigate severe cramps and heavy bleeding that accompanied her menses.

From Washington Post • Jun. 10, 2022

Nonetheless, women continued to restore their menses with home treatments and induced early abortions before quickening as permitted by common law.

From Slate • Jun. 1, 2022

When I had taken two bottles it had all left me and menses appeared.

From Treatise on the Diseases of Women by Pinkham, Lydia Estes