Progestogenic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing a substance or agent that produces effects similar to those of a natural female hormone involved in regulating the menstrual cycle and supporting pregnancy
2. Relating to compounds that mimic or stimulate the biological functions of hormones responsible for preparing and sustaining the uterus for embryo implantation and gestation
3. Pertaining to chemical agents that act like a hormone promoting changes in the reproductive system associated with maintaining pregnancy and controlling ovulation

Etymology: "Progestogenic" is a plain technical coinage, built from "progestogen" with the adjective ending "-ic". The "-ic" suffix, borrowed through Latin from Greek, turns a noun into a description of something having its qualities, so the word means having the properties of a progestogen. The root, "progestogen", is itself a compound of "progest-", a clipped form of "progestational" (relating to the preparation of the uterus for pregnancy), and "-gen", from Greek "genes", meaning "producing" or "giving rise to". A progestogen is therefore a substance that produces progestational effects. The word exists to describe drugs and compounds that mimic progesterone, the natural hormone that supports the uterine lining during pregnancy.

Synonyms: progestin-like, progesteronic, progestational, progestin-related, hormonal

Antonyms: anti-progestogenic, anti-progesterone, estrogenic, androgenic, non-hormonal