Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The climax or height of the period of sexual desire in female mammals. This is preceded by the procestrum and followed by the metœstrum.
- noun A gadfly; a breeze.
- noun A vehement urging; a stimulus; an incitement.
- noun [capitalized] The typical genus of Œstridæ.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Zoöl.) A genus of gadflies. The species which deposits its larvæ in the nasal cavities of sheep is
œstrus ovis . - noun A vehement desire.
- noun (Physiol.) The periodical sexual impulse of animals; the period during which female animals are most receptive to males; heat; rut.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A biting
fly of the genusOestrus ; abotfly . - noun A
bite orsting . - noun archaic A
passion orfrenzy . - noun A female animal's readiness to
mate ;heat ,rut .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun applies to nonhuman mammals: a state or period of heightened sexual arousal and activity
- noun type genus of the Oestridae: sheep botflies
- noun applies to nonhuman mammals: a state or period of heightened sexual arousal and activity
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Naftolin, A, et al. Neuronal membrane remodeling during the oestrus cycle: a freeze-freacture study in the arcuate nucleus of the rat hypothalemus.
T.S. Wiley: Estrogen Dilemma: There Is No Dilemma When You Know the Details T.S. Wiley 2010
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What does it matter if adults can only see a pair of bifurcated mobile phones, with Mandeville's eye-catching groin definition creepily hinting at of mascottian oestrus or, possibly, a urinary tract infection?
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I didn't even know that dogs menstruated, or estrated -- make that "underwent estrus" (or is it oestrus?).
French Word-A-Day: 2007
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I didn't even know that dogs menstruated, or estrated -- make that "underwent estrus" (or is it oestrus?).
French Word-A-Day: 2007
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I didn't even know that dogs menstruated, or estrated -- make that "underwent estrus" (or is it oestrus?).
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Guilt's malignancy stalks a gas-lit shadow-dance upon the walls, perversity arouses oestrus in the embers of our trance; magic moments muted in taut breath are crushed in weighted consequence, discretion flees the night to heighten senses steeped in self-pity, drowned in self-indulgence.
Archive 2008-07-01 Ivan Donn Carswell 2008
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The theory of human oestrus remains controversial because its effects are subtle; human females show none of the distinct genital swellings seen in other female mammals “in heat”.
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He says the changes in the female voice during peak fertility support the view that women are “different” at that point in the menstrual cycle – in other words, that they experience oestrus.
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I didn't even know that dogs menstruated, or estrated--make that "underwent estrus" or is it oestrus?
French Word-A-Day: 2007
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I didn't even know that dogs menstruated, or estrated--make that "underwent estrus" or is it oestrus?
yarb commented on the word oestrus
"In some ways, it appears, the balladist wasn't a bad guy ... aside from an uncontrollable oestrus he turned out to have for neighbourhood-grocers' wives, and one or two low incidents in consequence, Mike had no trouble with him whatever..."
- W.M. Spackman, Heyday
December 22, 2011
Louises commented on the word oestrus
The oestrus of night comes down over him like a hood. By James Slater in "A Sport and a Past Time".
February 14, 2013
bilby commented on the word oestrus
The bot-fly of the sheep of night, now found all over the world, comes down over him like a hood. By James Slater in "A Baa Past Your Bedtime."
February 14, 2013