meno-comb. form
Stress is usually determined by a subsequent element and vowels may be reduced accordingly; see e.g.
menopause n.Inflections: Before a vowel men-.
Origin: Formed within English, by clipping or shortening. Etymon: menorrhagia n.
Etymology: < meno- (in menorrhagia n.).Ancient Greek μηνο- occurs as a combining form in the sense ‘moon’, in e.g. μηνοειδής crescent-shaped, where it may represent μήν or μήνη ‘moon’ (see month n.1); in Byzantine Greek it occurs in the sense ‘month‘, in e.g. μηνολόγιον menologion n., where it represents μήν ‘month’. In the early 18th cent. post-classical Latin menorrhagia menorrhagia n. shows this element with the sense ‘relating to menstruation’, after the specific senses of the ancient Greek derivative μηνιαῖα menstrual discharge and the parallel classical Latin mensēs menses n. This is followed in the early 19th cent. by post-classical Latin menorrhoea menorrhoea n. and French ménostasie (see menostasis n.), ménopause menopause n., and ménoplanie (see menoplania n.). There are a small number of English formations in the mid 19th cent. Chiefly combined with second elements ultimately of Greek origin, although compare menostation n.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
comb. form