estrogen
noun
es·tro·gen ˈe-strə-jən 
: any of various natural steroids (such as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system
also : any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (such as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web About 1% of women taking estrogen alone will develop endometrial cancer. 
Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2022 Fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone also play a role here. Krissy Brady, SELF, 7 Dec. 2021 But the language of the bill includes puberty blockers, i.e., hormones that shut down the production of estrogen or testosterone. Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021 Age can also play a role: As estrogen levels decrease between childbearing age and menopause, our hair may thin out. Mona Gohara, Good Housekeeping, 11 Aug. 2022 Specifically, rising estrogen levels in the first two weeks of your cycle can temporarily cause your breasts to get bigger, while increasing amounts of progesterone during the second half may make your milk ducts puff up. Rozalynn S. Frazier, SELF, 29 July 2022 Your estrogen levels naturally begin to decline during menopause, which can cause your vaginal tissue to become thinner, drier, and more easily irritated. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 15 July 2022 Estradiol, the bioidentical major human estrogen, does predispose a person to clotting, but even so, what happened to you still doesn’t sound like a clot. Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 12 Aug. 2022 When women are younger, estrogen protects the heart, but after menopause, the risk for heart disease significantly increases, points out OB-GYN Tara Scott, MD, medical director of Revitalize at Forum Health in Akron, OH. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 26 July 2022 See More
Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 4 Apr. 2022 Fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone also play a role here. Krissy Brady, SELF, 7 Dec. 2021 But the language of the bill includes puberty blockers, i.e., hormones that shut down the production of estrogen or testosterone. Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021 Age can also play a role: As estrogen levels decrease between childbearing age and menopause, our hair may thin out. Mona Gohara, Good Housekeeping, 11 Aug. 2022 Specifically, rising estrogen levels in the first two weeks of your cycle can temporarily cause your breasts to get bigger, while increasing amounts of progesterone during the second half may make your milk ducts puff up. Rozalynn S. Frazier, SELF, 29 July 2022 Your estrogen levels naturally begin to decline during menopause, which can cause your vaginal tissue to become thinner, drier, and more easily irritated. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 15 July 2022 Estradiol, the bioidentical major human estrogen, does predispose a person to clotting, but even so, what happened to you still doesn’t sound like a clot. Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 12 Aug. 2022 When women are younger, estrogen protects the heart, but after menopause, the risk for heart disease significantly increases, points out OB-GYN Tara Scott, MD, medical director of Revitalize at Forum Health in Akron, OH. Marisa Cohen, Good Housekeeping, 26 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
estrus + -o- + -gen
Note: The word estrogen was originally a U.S. brand name for an extract of glandular tissue used in the treatment of ovarian dysfunction. Its producer, Parke, Davis and Company, relinquished rights to the name in 1936.
First Known Use
1927, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing estrogen
Medical Definition
estrogen
noun
es·tro·gen ˈes-trə-jən
variants or chiefly British oestrogen
ˈē-strə-jən
: any of various natural steroids (as estradiol) that are formed from androgen precursors, that are secreted chiefly by the ovaries, placenta, adipose tissue, and testes, and that stimulate the development of female secondary sex characteristics and promote the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system
also : any of various synthetic or semisynthetic steroids (as ethinyl estradiol) that mimic the physiological effect of natural estrogens
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