dysmenorrhea

/(ˌ)dis-ˌme-nə-ˈrē-ə/ (ame, mw)

dysmenorrhea — noun

1. pain in the lower stomach area that a woman feels during or just before her mont

1.名詞C2
釋義

pain in the lower stomach area that a woman feels during or just before her monthly period, caused by the muscles of the womb squeezing to push out its lining

例句

Dr. Okonkwo prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs to help Amara manage her dysmenorrhea.

medical treatment for dysmenorrhea

For the first year after her periods began, thirteen-year-old Yuna missed school each month because of dysmenorrhea.

common in adolescents; impacts daily life

同義詞
  • menstrual cramps

    everyday term that describes the muscle spasms; less formal than dysmenorrhea

  • period pain

    most common everyday expression; used in casual speech, not in medical records

反義詞
  • pain-free periods

    describes menstruation without discomfort; not a single-word antonym

用法筆記

Most commonly used in formal medical contexts. In everyday conversation, women are more likely to say 'period pain' or 'cramps'. The condition is classified as primary dysmenorrhea (no underlying disease) or secondary dysmenorrhea (caused by a condition such as endometriosis).

常見錯誤

❌I have a dysmenorrhea.
✅I have dysmenorrhea.
💡Dysmenorrhea is an uncountable noun; do not use 'a' before it.
❌She suffers from dysmenorrhea in her knee.
✅She has dysmenorrhea, which is pain in the lower stomach during her period.
💡Dysmenorrhea refers specifically to menstrual pain, not any other type of body pain.

2. a US spelling variant of the British English word dysmenorrhoea, used in America

2.名詞C2
釋義

a US spelling variant of the British English word dysmenorrhoea, used in American medical writing and publications

例句

When the school nurse gave Meiling a handout about period pain, the word was spelled "dysmenorrhea" because the clinic used American English.

American vs British spelling contrast in real-life materials

Wei saw her US textbook spell "dysmenorrhea" without a letter O after the double R.

spelling difference: no extra O in US variant

用法筆記

This sense does not describe a different medical condition — only a difference in English spelling conventions between the US and UK.

常見錯誤

❌The patient was diagnosed with dysmenorrhoea in her American medical chart.
✅The patient was diagnosed with dysmenorrhea in her American medical chart.
💡Use the US spelling for American clinical contexts, and the British spelling for UK contexts.