menses: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, Medical, Technical
Quick answer
What does “menses” mean?
The monthly flow of blood and cellular debris from the uterus in women of reproductive age.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The monthly flow of blood and cellular debris from the uterus in women of reproductive age.
The period of menstruation; also refers to the menstrual cycle or discharge in formal or medical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties prefer colloquial terms in casual conversation.
Connotations
Clinical, formal, sometimes perceived as old-fashioned or euphemistic.
Frequency
Equally low in everyday speech in both varieties; primarily found in medical, academic, or formal writing.
Grammar
How to Use “menses” in a Sentence
Subject + have/experience + menses (e.g., She has irregular menses.)Adjective + menses (e.g., painful menses)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical, biological, or health sciences literature.
Everyday
Rarely used; replaced by colloquial terms like 'period'.
Technical
Standard term in medical diagnostics, gynaecology, and reproductive health.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “menses”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “menses”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “menses”
- Treating it as a plural countable noun (e.g., 'Her menses are painful' – while sometimes used, medical style often uses singular).
- Mispronunciation as /ˈmɛnzɪz/ or /ˈmiːnsiːz/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is plural in form but often used with a singular verb in medical contexts (e.g., 'Her menses is irregular').
It is not recommended; use 'period' or 'monthly cycle' instead, as 'menses' sounds clinical.
'Menses' refers to the discharge itself or the period of bleeding, while 'menstruation' is the overall process.
No, the usage is identical in both varieties, being a formal medical term.
The monthly flow of blood and cellular debris from the uterus in women of reproductive age.
Menses is usually formal, medical, technical in register.
Menses: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛnsiːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛnsiːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'menses' relating to 'months' – it happens monthly for many.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often metaphorically referred to as 'the curse' or 'Aunt Flo', but 'menses' itself is not typically used in metaphors.
Practice
Quiz
Which term is most commonly used in everyday English instead of 'menses'?