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

The bomb was discovered on 10 April during construction work on Rue des Champarons.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

But according to the Cour des Comptes, the new system relied excessively – and mistakenly – on good faith.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

Go to the Marché des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd arrondissement in Paris for fresh oysters and a cheese plate, or to the Marché des Carmes in Toulouse for some lamb chops and fried scallops.

From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026

On Tuesday, des Cars handed in her resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, which was accepted.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Approaching on the left will be the open ironwork fence of the Jardin des Plantes, its thin spars like the bars of a great birdcage.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr