oestrogen

British

/ ˈiːstrədʒən, ˈɛstrə-, ˌiːstrə-, ˌɛstrə- /

noun

any of several steroid hormones, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries and placenta, that induce oestrus, stimulate changes in the female reproductive organs during the oestrous cycle, and promote development of female secondary sexual characteristics

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of oestrogen

C20: from _oestrus + _-gen

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

oestrogen

Endometriosis is driven by female hormones - oestrogen and progesterone - linked to the menstrual cycle.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

One father, who is taking separate legal action against the clinic, told the BBC his 16-year-old son forged his mother's signature to access hormone treatment and was prescribed oestrogen without his parents' knowledge.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

The scientists collected urine and saliva samples from the women on five occasions and discovered that, in some cases, rising oestrogen levels tracked closely with the reduction in grey matter.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2026

Scans and biopsies followed, and a week and a half later she was given a diagnosis of oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

From BBC ● Feb. 9, 2026

We can give you some other pills that will give your body the oestrogen it ought to be producing.

From Identity by Aiko Frikki

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023