Standard Lemma guide

menarche

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /mɛˈnɑː.ki/
  • US: /ˈmɛˌnɑɹ.ki/
  • US: /məˈnɑɹ.ki/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The onset of menstruation; a girl's first period.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: menophania

Antonyms: menopause

2

noun

Meaning 2

the first occurrence of menstruation in a woman

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: start

History

Etymology

First attested 1900, from German Menarche, formed from meno- + -arche.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Basque: menarkia — first menstruation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 初潮 (chūcháo) — first menstruation
  • Chinese Mandarin: 初經 /初经 (chūjīng) — first menstruation
  • Dutch: menarche — first menstruation
  • Finnish: menarke — first menstruation
  • French: ménarche — first menstruation
  • German: Menarche — first menstruation
  • Greek: εμμηναρχή (emminarchí) — first menstruation
  • Icelandic: fyrstu tíðir — first menstruation
  • Italian: menarca — first menstruation
  • Japanese: 初潮 (shochō) — first menstruation
  • Japanese: 初経 (shokei) — first menstruation
  • Polish: pierwsza miesiączka — first menstruation
  • Portuguese: menarca — first menstruation
  • Russian: мена́рхе (menárxe) — first menstruation
  • Russian: пе́рвая менструа́ция (pérvaja menstruácija) — first menstruation
  • Spanish: menarquia — first menstruation
  • Swedish: menarche — first menstruation
  • Tagalog: abot-tubo — first menstruation
  • Turkish: menarş — first menstruation