des

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The term "des" refers to a specific synthetic (man-made) nonsteroid medication known as "diethylstilbestrol." It is important to understand this word in the context of medicine and its historical use.

Explanation:

• Des (Diethylstilbestrol): This is a type of medicine that has properties similar to the female hormone estrogen. It was used mainly to help women with certain menstrual problems and to prevent complications during pregnancy. However, it was discovered that using this medicine could lead to serious health issues, such as vaginal cancers in the daughters of women who took it while pregnant. Because of these risks, its use has been largely discontinued.

Usage Instructions:

• "Des" is often used in medical discussions or historical contexts when talking about hormonal treatments and their effects. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Example:

• "In the past, doctors prescribed des to pregnant women to prevent complications, but later studies showed it could harm their daughters."

Advanced Usage:

• In advanced discussions, you might see "des" used in medical research papers, historical analyses of pharmaceutical treatments, or discussions about women's health.

Word Variants:

• The full term is "diethylstilbestrol," which is often shortened to "des" in conversations among medical professionals.

Different Meaning:

• "Des" itself does not have other meanings outside of this medical context. However, "diethylstilbestrol" may be mentioned in discussions about hormone treatments, cancer research, and women's health issues.

Synonyms:

• There are no direct synonyms for "des," as it refers to a specific compound. However, it may be associated with other estrogen-like medications.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no idioms or phrasal verbs specifically associated with "des," as it is a technical term in medicine rather than a common English word.

Conclusion:

In summary, "des" is a specific medical term referring to a synthetic estrogen used in the past. It is important to understand its historical context and the health implications associated with its use.

Academic

Noun

1. synthetic nonsteroid with the properties of estrogen; formerly used to treat menstrual problems but was found to be associated with vaginal cancers in the daughters of women so treated during pregnancy
2. a potent estrogen used in medicine and in feed for livestock and poultry

Synonyms

• diethylstilbesterol
• DES
• stilbesterol
• diethylstilbestrol
• diethylstilboestrol
• stilbestrol
• stilboestrol