estrous

adjective

es·​trous ˈe-strəs 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of estrus

2

: being in heat

Examples of estrous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Plus, his appearance there can be the result of external factors; a fresh food source coming into its own, a resident doe or two coming into estrous, hunting pressure on adjacent properties, even a buck out on a breeding excursion that takes him out of his home range for a few days. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 18 July 2024

By contrast, participants using contraceptive pills showed no estrous earnings peak. —Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019

Get the Attention of Post-Rut Bucks A container of long-lasting, weather-resistant doe estrous deer attractant placed crosswind to your stand can be a late-season difference-maker. 47. —Outdoor Life, 19 Nov. 2019

Every fall, a handful of does come into estrous about a month before the main event, and the chaos these early-cycling deer create is pretty significant. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 6 Sep. 2023

Meanwhile, gusty winds blow estrous scent over hill and dale, and bucks become frantic to find its sources. —Dave Hurteau, Field & Stream, 3 Apr. 2023

That male was part of a group of four males who were harassing an estrous female, when out of nowhere, her three coalition partners came swooping in to her aid. —David P. Barash, WSJ, 17 May 2022

Mature bucks use a circuit of routes when the pre-rut kicks in to seek out estrous does. —Gerald Almy, Field & Stream, 1 Dec. 2020

With just a smattering of does coming into estrous, the main whitetail rut is on its last legs. —Scott Bestul, Field & Stream, 20 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing estrous

• estrous cycle

Rhymes for estrous

• estrus

Medical Definition

estrous

adjective

es·​trous ˈes-trəs 

variants or chiefly British oestrous

ˈē-strəs 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of estrus

2

: being in heat