Etymology

oestrus

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Today it means: A biting fly of the genus Oestrus; a botfly. Full definition →

Latin oestrus ← Ancient Greek οἶστρος (oîstros) ← Proto-Indo-European *h₁eysh₂-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁eysh₂-
  2. Ancient Greekοἶστρος (oîstros)
  3. Latinoestrus
  4. English todayoestrus

Borrowed from Latin oestrus (“gadfly, sting, frenzy”), from Ancient Greek οἶστρος (oîstros), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eys-, used to form words denoting passion; see also Latin īra (“anger”), Lithuanian aistra (“violent passion”), Avestan 𐬀𐬈𐬯𐬨𐬀 (aesma, “anger”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.