emmenagogue

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἔμμηνα (émmēna, “menses”) + ἀγωγός (agōgós, “leading”).

Noun

emmenagogue (plural emmenagogues)

  1. (medicine) An herb that stimulates blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus, causing menstruation.
    • 1775, The practice of the British and French hospitals:
      Take of the emmenagogue decoction, six ounces; borax, fifteen grains; troches of myrrh, two scruples; dittany of Crete, finely powdered, ten grains; […]
    • 1914, Albert Henry Buck, A Reference Handbook of the Medical Sciences:
      The term emmenagogue is applied to any remedy or indeed any resource whatever which normalizes the menses.
    • 2007, Shirley Price, Aromatherapy for Health Professionals, page 71:
      Because of its phenolic ether content (methyl chavicol), which varies within wide limits, depending on the species, the origin and the time of harvesting, basil is often cited as an emmenagogue.
    • 2025, Cid Swanenvleugel, The Pre-Roman Elements of the Sardinian Lexicon, page 66:
      DES does not propose an etymology for this word [bunnanaru, 'yellow germander'], but merely notes its similarity to the toponym Bunnánaru. Paulis suggests that this similarity may be due to chance or folk etymology, which is plausible. He proposes an etymology *kunn-án-aru, from Lat. cunnus 'vagina' because of this plant's apparent emmenagogue properties.
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