[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

menstruum \men"struum\, n.; pl. e. menstruums, l. menstrua.
   l. menstruus. see menstruous.
   any substance which dissolves a solid body; a solvent.
   1913 webster

         the proper menstruum to dissolve metal.  --bacon.
   1913 webster

         all liquors are called menstruums which are used as
         dissolvents, or to extract the virtues of ingredients
         by infusion or decoction.                --quincy.
   1913 webster

   note: the use is supposed to have originated in some notion
         of the old chemists about the influence of the moon in
         the preparation of dissolvents. --johnson.
         1913 webster
see also:
menstruums menstrua menstruous 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

menstruum
     n 1: archaic a solvent
     2: the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of
        nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause; "the women
        were sickly and subject to excessive menstruation"; "a
        woman does not take the gout unless her menses be
        stopped"--hippocrates; "the semen begins to appear in
        males and to be emitted at the same time of life that the
        catamenia begin to flow in females"--aristotle syn: menstruation,
         menses, catamenia, period, flow
     also: menstrua pl
see also:
menstruation menses catamenia period flow menstrua 

Menstruum >> M Words
Menstruum, definition of term: Menstruum
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