What does menopausal mean?
Menopausal is an adjective relating to menopause, the natural cessation of menstrual cycles, or to someone undergoing that transition. It is commonly used before words such as symptoms, changes, health, and women, as in menopausal symptoms or menopausal health. The term occurs mainly in medical, health, and lifestyle writing, where it identifies physiological changes associated with the end of reproductive fertility. It should not be confused with perimenopausal, which specifies the period before and during the transition, or postmenopausal, which refers to the period after menopause. Menopausal has a broad, conventional meaning and is not usually treated as slang, though its use in casual conversation may be more common than its more technical medical applications. The word is linguistically memorable because menopause ultimately combines Greek elements meaning “month” and “stopping,” reflecting the historical association between menstruation and the end of fertility.
adjectiveRelating to, characteristic of, or occurring during menopause. It may also describe a person undergoing menopause.
- Relating to or characteristic of menopause.
- Denoting a person who is undergoing menopause.
"She sought medical advice for menopausal symptoms that were disrupting her sleep."
"Her doctor discussed several treatments for menopausal symptoms."
"The article examines the experiences of menopausal women in the workplace."
Menopausal ultimately announces a “monthly stopping”: its roots combine the ideas of “month” and “ceasing.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does menopausal come from?
Menopausal was formed in English by adding the adjectival suffix -al to menopause, a term borrowed from French ménopause. The French word draws through New Latin on Greek roots mēn, meaning “month,” and pausis, meaning “stopping” or “cessation.” These roots refer to the cessation of menstrual cycles; cognate words such as menstrual and menstruate preserve the older connection with months.
How menopausal is actually used
The word is most common in medical, health, and lifestyle contexts. It is broad enough to cover menopause itself, although perimenopausal and postmenopausal make more precise distinctions about stages before and after the transition.
Easily confused with menopausal
Menopause is the biological process of menstrual cessation, whereas menopausal is the adjective describing things associated with or occurring during that process.
Perimenopausal refers specifically to the period before and during the transition into menopause, while menopausal has a broader reference to menopause itself.