musth

American  

[muhst] / mʌst /

Or must

noun

1. a state or condition of violent, destructive frenzy occurring with the rutting season in male elephants, accompanied by the exudation of an oily substance from glands between the eyes and mouth.

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musth British  

/ mʌst /

noun

1. (often preceded by in) a state of frenzied sexual excitement in the males of certain large mammals, esp elephants, associated with discharge from a gland between the ear and eye

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musth Scientific  

/ mŭst /

1. An annual period of heightened aggressiveness and sexual activity in male elephants.

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Etymology

Origin of musth

1870–75; < Urdu mast < Persian: literally, drunk

Example Sentences

Some attribute Padayappa's outbursts to him being in musth - a period during which reproductive hormones surge in mature male elephants, making them prone to aggression.

From BBC

Her early research focused on musth, a periodic reproductive condition in male elephants that is characterized by testosterone surges and heightened aggression.

From Scientific American

“Even these big males in musth, when they have surging testosterone, they are so gentle with females and calves,” Dr. Poole said.

From New York Times

Days before the journey, there was a snag: Kavaan unexpectedly went into musth, a period characterized by raging male hormones.

From New York Times

The younger males’ musth subsided, and the rhino killing stopped.

From New York Times