stilbestrol
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˌstɪlˈbɛstrɒl/
- Archaic
- Researchers studied the effects of stilbestrol exposure on hormone levels.
Examples
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Doctors used stilbestrol to treat certain hormonal disorders.
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The use of stilbestrol in animal feed was banned due to health concerns.
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Doctors once prescribed stilbestrol to prevent pregnancy complications, but it is no longer used for this purpose.
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The use of stilbestrols in livestock has been banned in many countries.
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Many farmers in the past used stilbestrol to promote rapid growth in their livestock.
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The use of stilbestrol in poultry feed has been banned due to health risks.
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Doctors once prescribed stilbestrol to treat certain hormone-related conditions in women.
Synonyms
3
9.9
A man-made hormone once given to pregnant women that caused health problems
1
9.9
A man-made strong female sex hormone once used in medicine and in animal feed
A synthetic female hormone once given to women and animals, later linked to cancer in daughters of treated women
A man-made female hormone once given to women, later linked to cancer in their daughters
Surface Forms
Morphology
stilbestrol = stilb + estrol
The word is a technical chemical name built from specialized combining forms (stilb- + -estrol) that are not productive or recognizable to an average B1 learner, so its meaning cannot be derived from common English morphemes.
Etymology
The word stilbestrol comes from the chemical stilbene and the word estrogen, the 'female hormone', so it means a stilbene-like substance that acts like an estrogen. That's why stilbestrol was used as a strong, man-made estrogen in medicine and in animal feed.