English
menstrual
Menstrual comes from Latin mēnstruālis ‘of or pertaining to the monthly courses of women’, from mēnstrua ‘menses’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s ‘moon, month’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mḗh₁n̥s‘moon, month’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mēns‘month’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*mēnsisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnsis‘month’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstruus‘of a month, monthly, of menstruation’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEneuterplural of mēnstruus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstrua‘menses’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstruālis‘of or pertaining to the monthly courses of women’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500menstruall
- Englishearliest quotation 1981menstrual
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mḗh₁n̥s‘moon, month’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mēns‘month’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*mēnsisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnsis‘month’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstruus‘of a month, monthly, of menstruation’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEneuterplural of mēnstruus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstrua‘menses’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmēnstruālis‘of or pertaining to the monthly courses of women’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500menstruall
- Englishearliest quotation 1981menstrual
Earliest quotation: 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology: “Recent studies in physiology have noted that women who…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- ‘to measure’
measure, moral, meal, meter, moody, dimension, meta, metric, immense, metre, mesa, madder, asymmetry, commensurate, metrology, mete, metis, firman, mensa, moodiness, metra, 65 more
through Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s ‘moon, month’
through Latin mēnsis ‘month’
through Latin neuter
force, marvel, mandate, neutral, coliseum, neuter, colosseum, rapunzel, legate, cabeza, cadenza, 11 more
Today it means
adj Of or relating to the menses.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s / menstrual