Definition of OESTRUS

oestrus

Plural: oestri, oestruses

Noun

  • The period of sexual receptivity in female mammals; estrus.
  • applies to nonhuman mammals: a state or period of heightened sexual arousal and activity
  • type genus of the Oestridae: sheep botflies
  • A biting fly of the genus Oestrus; a botfly.
  • A bite or sting.
  • A passion or frenzy.
  • A female animal's readiness to mate.

Examples

  • He recognized OESTRUS as a valid word, but saved his ’S’ for a more strategic plural.

Origin / Etymology

Borrowed from Latin oestrus (“gadfly, sting, frenzy”), from Ancient Greek οἶστρος (oîstros), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eys-, used to form words denoting passion; see also Latin īra (“anger”), Lithuanian aistra (“violent passion”), Avestan 𐬀𐬈𐬯𐬨𐬀 (aesma, “anger”).

Synonyms

estrus, genus Oestrus, heat, rut

Antonyms

anestrus

Scrabble Score: 7

oestrus: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
oestrus: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
oestrus: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

oestrus: valid Words With Friends Word