des

¹ American  

[dey] / deɪ /

preposition

1. used in French names as a contraction of de and the article les: François des Adrets.

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DES ² American  

abbreviation

1. diethylstilbestrol.

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-des ³ American  

1. a plural suffix appearing in loanwords from Greek.

   proboscides.

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DES British  

abbreviation

1. Department of Education and Science

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DES Scientific  

/ dē′ē-ĕs′ /

1. Short for diethylstilbestrol. A synthetic nonsteroidal substance having estrogenic properties and prescribed between 1938 and 1971 to pregnant women with a history of miscarriage and other problems of pregnancy. It is no longer used due to the incidence of certain vaginal cancers and other disorders in the daughters of women so treated.

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Etymology

Origin of -des

< Greek, nominative plural of d- stem nouns

Example Sentences

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who met families of the Rue des Rosiers victims last year, said he had promised them everything would be done to put the suspects on trial.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

At Anfield, Liverpool's xG was 1.94 compared with the 0.18 at the Parc des Princes last week.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

French daily Le Monde said the departure of des Cars became "inevitable" following the burglary as well as trade union strikes pressing for more recruitment, pay and better maintenance of the museum.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

PSG led 3-2 from last week's first leg but Maghnes Akliouche gave Monaco the advantage on the night at the Parc des Princes to level the scores on aggregate.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Sheet music, surely also the ill-gotten spoils of the Château des Bourreaux—a lot of popular songs from the last decade and some pieces by French composers, scored for flute and piano.

From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein