Meaning & use
andropause
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablemedical
The gradual decrease in male sex hormones, especially testosterone, that can occur with age.
Grammar: Uncountable; used with 'the' or without an article: 'Andropause can cause fatigue.'
Patterns
- andropause symptoms
- male andropause
- the andropause
Some men experience andropause in their fifties, with lower energy and mood changes.
Doctors are still debating whether andropause is a distinct condition.
The term 'andropause' is sometimes used to describe age-related hormonal changes in men.
Common combinations
- andropause symptoms
- Common andropause symptoms include fatigue and reduced muscle mass.
- male andropause
- Male andropause is not as sudden as female menopause.
- treat andropause
- Some clinics offer testosterone therapy to treat andropause.
Synonyms and how they differ
- male menopause
- An informal and less precise term for the same idea; 'andropause' is more clinical.
- late-onset hypogonadism
- The medical term for low testosterone in older men; 'andropause' is broader and less specific.
Word family
- androgen noun
- A male sex hormone, such as testosterone.
- androgenic adjective
- Relating to androgens or their effects.
Commonly confused: andropause or menopause?
andropause vs menopause
Menopause is the natural end of menstruation in women; andropause refers to hormonal changes in men.
Practice
What does 'andropause' refer to?
Choose one answer.
Andropause is about hormonal changes in men, not menstruation (that's menopause) or speech pauses. Options 0, 1, and 3 are unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “andropause”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.