Definition

A synthetic form of estrogen that was used in the past to prevent miscarriages and other pregnancy complications, but is now largely discontinued due to health risks.

Example

Doctors used to prescribe stilbestrol to pregnant women, but it is no longer recommended.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of stilbestrol?

Yeah, I read about it in a health article last week.

It's interesting how it was once used for various treatments.

I know, right? It's fascinating how medical practices change over time.

Root Explanation

Stilbestrol is formed from 'stilbene' (a type of organic compound derived from the Greek 'stibium', meaning antimony) and 'estr' (from 'estrus', relating to female reproductive cycles) combined with the suffix '-ol' (indicating an alcohol or phenolic compound). The word refers to a synthetic estrogen derived from stilbene, used in medical treatments.

Memory Tip

Think of 'stilbene' as a compound related to antimony and 'estr' as relating to female reproductive cycles, which helps you remember that stilbestrol is a synthetic estrogen used in medicine.

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