Oligomenorrhoea

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɒlɪɡə(ʊ)mɛnəˈɹiːə/

Definitions

1. A medical condition marked by an abnormal reduction in the frequency of menstrual cycles to fewer than six to eight occurrences annually
2. This term identifies a state in which a female experiences significantly infrequent menstruation, typically recognized as less than six times in a year
3. A condition characterized by menstrual cycles occurring less often than normal, with fewer than six to eight periods per year

Etymology: Oligomenorrhoea is a medical coinage built from two Greek elements. The first, "oligo-", comes from the ancient Greek "oligos", meaning "few" or "little", and it appears in many scientific terms where something is present in small amounts. The second, "menorrhoea", is the medical name for menstrual flow, itself formed from Greek roots meaning "month" and "flow". Put together, the word describes a flow that occurs only rarely. The sense is therefore literal: "oligo-" limits the "menorrhoea" to few occurrences rather than the regular monthly cycle. Clinicians use it for periods that come at intervals longer than the usual cycle length, which distinguishes it from the absence of periods altogether, a separate condition called amenorrhoea. The "-rrhoea" ending, meaning "flow" or "discharge", is shared with many other medical terms, such as "diarrhoea".