PsychologyJuly 13, 2026

estradiol

/ˌɛstrəˈdaɪ.ɒl/

Definition

A primary form of estrogen, which is a female sex hormone that drives many of the physical and mental changes occurring during puberty.

Etymology

The word is a chemical formation combining 'estro-' (from the Greek 'oistros' meaning 'frenzy' or 'sexual desire') and '-diol' (indicating a chemical structure containing two hydroxyl groups). It was coined by chemists in the 20th century to describe the specific molecular structure of this estrogen hormone.

In the news

The article identifies estradiol as a key hormone that influences the physical development of young girls, noting that researchers accounted for its levels when studying the link between testosterone and emotional distress.

Hormonal changes during puberty linked to emotional distress in young girls

Read the full article ↗

Medical Xpress

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