Oestruses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state or condition of being in heat for female mammals during which they are sexually receptive
2. A recurring cycle in female animals involving hormonal changes that signal fertility and readiness for mating
3. The phase in certain mammals characterized by ovulation and the potential for conception, marked by specific behavioral changes

Etymology: "Oestruses" is the plural of "oestrus," the recurring period of fertility in female mammals. "Oestrus" comes from Latin, which took it from Greek "oistros," meaning a gadfly, a biting insect that torments cattle, and also a sting or sudden frenzy. The sense of frantic driving impulse is what connects the insect to the reproductive cycle.

Synonyms: estrus, heat, rut, season