menstruate

American

[men-stroo-eyt, -streyt] / ˈmɛn struˌeɪt, -streɪt /

verb (used without object)

menstruated, menstruating

to undergo menstruation.

menstruate British

/ ˈmɛnstrʊˌeɪt /

verb

(intr) to undergo menstruation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

unmenstruating adjective

Etymology

Origin of menstruate

1640–50; v. use of earlier menstruate menstruous, Middle English < Late Latin mēnstruātus, equivalent to mēnstru ( a ) monthly courses ( menstrual ) + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Child Q was menstruating at the time, as she told the two officers who searched her, but they nevertheless proceeded with the search.

From BBC

Holly added there was "massive inequality" for menstruating students, who sometimes had to detour to the school office to get period products.

From BBC

Women are considered to have hit menopause when they haven’t menstruated for a year.

From BBC

“When I was in the emergency ward, there was no toilet. We couldn’t go to the loo during 14-hour shifts. Even when we were menstruating, we couldn’t use a toilet.”

From BBC

Women also have humanity’s only obvious connection to the mechanics of the universe: They menstruate according to the moon.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023