Menopause
/ˈmɛn.ə.pɔːz/noun
The permanent end of menstrual periods in a woman’s life, usually occurring in midlife.
Did you know?The word was coined in 1821 from Greek roots, and its ending echoes the same ancient idea behind “pause,” turning a biological transition into a literal stopping of the monthly rhythm.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meh₁n̥s-
“month, moon; the measuring cycle of time”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mēn
“month”
Ancient Greek
Greek
pausis
“a stopping, cessation”
1821
English
menopause
“a term coined for the cessation of menstruation”
Modern English
English
menopause
“the permanent end of menstrual periods”