Diethylstilbestrol

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A synthetic form of the hormone estrogen once prescribed to prevent miscarriage and later linked to serious health problems in daughters exposed before birth
2. A man-made estrogenic compound formerly given to pregnant women and withdrawn after it was found to cause cancers and reproductive harm in offspring
3. An artificial oestrogen drug, used medically for decades, that was discontinued when studies revealed risks of rare cancers and developmental defects

Etymology: Diethylstilbestrol is a chemical name built like a chain of parts, each naming a feature of the molecule. "Diethyl" marks two ethyl groups attached to its core. "Stilb" comes from "stilbene," the hydrocarbon backbone of the molecule, and "-estr-" points to estrogen, the hormone it mimics. The ending "-ol" signals that it is an alcohol, a compound carrying a hydroxyl group. The name is therefore a systematic description rather than a coined brand or a personal name. Its parts record how the molecule is built and what biological role it was designed to play, which is why the word reads more like a blueprint than a label.

Synonyms: stilbestrol, DES