Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

menses

/ˈmɛn.siːz/ noun

In Latin: menstruum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about menses at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause.
the women were sickly and subject to excessive menstruation

Origin

From Latin mēnsis (“month”), the plural being mēnsēs (“months”), corresponding to the approximately month-long span of the menstrual cycle. Compare month.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word