heifer

[Victor Steinbok]

I find the use of "elderly" sticking out more. Perhaps there is a
difference between references to the process and to the person, but the
standard jargon for post-34 first pregnancy is "geriatric". But maybe
"geriatric primipara" sounded too weird.

FWIW, Google has 9 vs. 6800 raw on "geriatric primipara" vs. "elderly".
With "pregnancy", it seems, there are no real options. I've heard both
"geriatric pregnancy" and "geriatric primipara" used in the wild, so to
speak (in a hospital).

     VS-)

On 2/14/2012 12:36 PM, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
> On 2/14/2012 10:58 AM, Laurence Horn wrote:
>> An actual query: are _heifer_ and _filly_ the *only* terms that are glossed as 'a female X that has never given birth'?  Maybe there are parallel words for pre-parturitional sheep and pigs; as a true New Yorker, I wouldn't know.  It's odd that we don't seem to have such a word where X = human, especially since we do have words like "primipara".  (I remember my wife's reaction at age 38 when she was referred to at OB-GYN as an "elderly primipara".)
> --
>
> Likewise "nullipara" is used. But I suppose such a word is mostly used
> in medical jargon.
>
> -- Doug Wilson

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