noun
- Plural of diestrum; recurring periods of sexual inactivity in female mammals between estrous cycles.
Usage: biology; zoology; technical term
Examples
- The diestrums in the dog's reproductive cycle last several weeks.
- During diestrums, female mammals show no sexual receptivity.
- Researchers studied the hormonal changes occurring in diestrums.
- The length of diestrums varies among different mammalian species.