Pseudopregnancies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A condition resembling pregnancy without actual conception, often seen in some animals
2. a false state of gestation that can lead to hormonal changes similar to those occurring during true pregnancy
3. a physiological response where the body mimics pregnancy symptoms despite the absence of a developing embryo

Etymology: The word is a plural, so it is the plural of "pseudopregnancy", which is built from the Greek prefix "pseudo-" and the English "pregnancy". The Greek "pseudo-" comes from "pseudḗs", meaning "false", which was formed from "pseúdō", "to deceive" or "to lie". Ancient Greek used the word for anything that was counterfeit, mistaken or untrue, and English took the prefix in modern scientific vocabulary to mark a condition that looks like the real thing without being it. "Pregnancy" has a plainer history. It comes from "pregnant", which entered English from Latin "praegnans", a term for something heavy with young. The English suffix "-cy" turns the adjective into a noun for the state itself. Joined together, the two parts describe a condition that resembles pregnancy, with the same hormonal shifts, but that is not a true gestation.