amenorrhoea: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowMedical, technical, formal
Quick answer
What does “amenorrhoea” mean?
The absence or cessation of menstrual periods.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The absence or cessation of menstrual periods.
A medical condition characterised by the lack of menstrual flow, either primary (never having started) or secondary (stopping after previously occurring).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'amenorrhoea' is standard British/Commonwealth spelling with 'oe' and '-rrhoea'. American spelling is 'amenorrhea'.
Connotations
Identical medical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in professional medical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “amenorrhoea” in a Sentence
The [CAUSE] resulted in amenorrhoea.She was diagnosed with [primary/secondary] amenorrhoea.Amenorrhoea is a common symptom of [CONDITION].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “amenorrhoea” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No verb form.
American English
- No verb form.
adverb
British English
- No adverb form.
American English
- No adverb form.
adjective
British English
- The amenorrhoeic patient was referred for scans.
American English
- She presented with amenorrheic symptoms.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical, nursing, and biological science research and textbooks.
Everyday
Not used; laypeople would say 'missed periods' or 'stopped having periods'.
Technical
Core term in gynaecology, endocrinology, and reproductive medicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “amenorrhoea”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “amenorrhoea”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “amenorrhoea”
- Misspelling: 'amenorrhea' (US) vs 'amenorrhoea' (UK).
- Confusing it with 'dysmenorrhoea' (painful periods).
- Using it in non-medical contexts.
- Incorrect plural: 'amenorrhoeas' is rarely used; the condition is typically referred to in the singular.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primary amenorrhoea is when a person has never experienced a menstrual period by age 15. Secondary amenorrhoea is when a person who previously had regular periods stops menstruating for at least three months.
Not always. It is normal during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and after menopause. At other times, it indicates an underlying hormonal, anatomical, or lifestyle issue that needs medical evaluation.
Yes, significant physical or psychological stress can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, leading to functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea.
British English spells it 'amenorrhoea'. American English simplifies it to 'amenorrhea'. Both are pronounced similarly.
The absence or cessation of menstrual periods.
Amenorrhoea is usually medical, technical, formal in register.
Amenorrhoea: in British English it is pronounced /əˌmɛnəˈriːə/, and in American English it is pronounced /eɪˌmɛnəˈriə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No idioms exist for this medical term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A-MEN-O-RRHOEA = A (absence of) MEN(o) (monthly/menses) RRHOEA (flow).
Conceptual Metaphor
Often framed as a 'blockage' or 'disruption' in a natural cyclical process.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes 'secondary amenorrhoea'?