What Greek word, meaning month, is related to the word for Moon and forms the root of the term menstruation?
Mene
The linguistic connection between the reproductive cycle and the Moon is evident in terminology. The word *menstruation* itself is derived from the Greek word *mene*, which translates to 'month.' This same root, *mene*, is also the Greek term for the Moon. This shared linguistic origin reflects the historical observation that the approximate duration of the human female reproductive cycle closely mirrors the length of the synodic lunar month (about 29.5 days). Despite this compelling temporal overlap, which fuels speculation about a direct causal influence, current data suggests this alignment is a coincidence of timing rather than a reflection of lunar gravity or light actively driving hormonal processes like estrogen or progesterone release.
