oestrus

Meaning

Noun

• A biting fly of the genus Oestrus; a botfly.
• A bite or sting.
• A passion or frenzy.
• A female animal's readiness to mate; heat, rut.

Origin

• Borrowed from Latin oestrus ("gadfly, sting, frenzy"), from Ancient Greek οἶστρος, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eys-, used to form words denoting passion; see also Latin īra ("anger"), Lithuanian aistra ("violent passion"), Avestan 𐬀𐬈𐬯𐬨𐬀.