British Slang For Menstruation (15 Examples!)

Menstruation is something that most people prefer to talk about in euphemisms.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with menstruation—it is a perfectly natural thing that almost half the global population has to go through in some way or another.

At the same time, it’s just not something people like to address directly and yet something people do need to talk about.

With that in mind, the British have developed a wide variety of slang terms for menstruation.

Let’s look at some of them.

In This Article

Aunt Flo

First we have one of the most common and widely understood slang phrases for menstruation in Britain, “Aunt Flo”.

This one is widely used and is one of many similar “Aunt” euphemisms for menstruation that you may hear.

It might be the way that someone refers to having their period without having to say it outright, for one reason or another. It refers of course to the “flow” one experiences in menstruation.

“I’ve got Aunt Flo visiting at the minute,” for example.

Aunt Irma

Another slang term for menstruation in Britain using this same “Aunt” convention is “Aunt Irma”.

This is effectively the same in the way it is used, as a euphemism you can use for your period when you might not want to say it explicitly.

It doesn’t carry the same pun that “Aunt Flo” does, of course, but is still quite widely used and most will understand it in context. “I won’t be going out tonight, I’ve got Aunt Irma here,” for example.

Blood sports

Next we have “blood sports,” a jocular slang term that many might consider being a bit vulgar.

It’s meant in good fun, it’s just probably not the kind of polite euphemism that the other forms of slang we’ve looked at so far have been.

“Blood sport” refers to sports like boxing where you are likely to draw a lot of blood, so I’m sure you can get the idea!

It’s less commonly used but still a common slang term in Britain.

“It’s time for my blood sports,” for example.

Bloody Mary

In a similar vein, another slang term for menstruation you might hear in Britain is “Bloody Mary”.

Again, it’s meant as a jocular slang phrase, something you’re likely to use among your friends rather than as a polite euphemism in other parts of your life.

A Bloody Mary is a popular cocktail made with tomato juice, so it’s naturally very red.

These drinks are very well known in Britain, so the term has taken on a different meaning in slang.

“I’ve been feeling a bit down, I think it’s Bloody Mary,” for example.

Crimson tide

Perhaps bit less common but one you might hear from time to time is “crimson tide”.

This is a slang expression, again somewhat jocular, used in British English to describe menstruation.

Again, I’m sure the image that the slang term conjures up is clear enough for you!

The term derives, though, from a film of the same name from 1995, about a U.S. submarine and a mutiny fought on board about whether or not to attack a Soviet—“red”—ship.

“Crimson tide should be coming up next week,” for example.

Having the painters in

Another slang term for menstruation in British English is “having the painters in”.

This is yet another expression meant in good fun as a slang euphemism for when someone gets their period.

It’s obviously a bit of a joke, so again one you’re much more likely to use among friends or in a very familiar environment than anywhere else.

It refers to having people in to decorate or paint—again, I’m sure the image is fairly clear to you!

“I won’t be able to go out tonight—I’m having the painters in,” for example.

High tide

“High tide” is another common slang expression for menstruation, and one of quite a few based on the cycles of the moon.

Menstruation is, most commonly a monthly cycle, and there’s a popular belief that the moon exerts a direct influence on menstrual cycles.

There is little evidence to support this claim, but regardless, “high tide” uses the moon’s cycles as the basis of its slang.

Again, it’s a bit of a joke, though one you could possibly use in broader contexts.

“It’s coming up to high tide for me this month,” for example.

Holy week

Though perhaps less common than other slang terms on this list, another common expression for having one’s period is to say you are in “holy week”.

This is another jocular slang term that is meant in good fun, one you’d use among your friends.

If you tried to use this in a different, less familiar setting, you may find yourself having to explain it further to those who don’t understand—which is definitely not what you want!

“I’m having a rough holy week at the minute,” for example.

Monthlies

“Monthlies” is another one that is often used as a euphemism for menstruation, though it’s perhaps a bit more old-fashioned than some of the other terms.

Obviously, it just refers to your menstrual period as your “monthlies,” since it happens once a month.

It probably comes from “monthlies” as in monthly subscriptions to magazines and other publications, which are not nearly as common as they once were.

“I’m having my monthlies at the minute, do you want to come over and watch a film?” for example.

Monthly

Another, very similar term is to just call menstruation your “monthly”.

This one has endured as it simply refers to the period of time, rather than the older sense of things you might get each month due to subscriptions.

The meaning is more or less the same, though.

“I’m on my monthly right now,” for example.

Time of the month

This is one of the most common and widely used slang terms for menstruation, and again might more simply be considered just a euphemism.

If you need a single phrase that you can be all but certain it will be understood by most people in Britain, this is the one.

When someone says it’s their time of the month, they mean they are on their period.

This is perfectly acceptable to use in any context where it’s necessary to let other people know that it’s happening.

From medical settings to work settings, this one is used and understood everywhere.

“It’s my time of the month at the minute,” for example.

On the blob

Another, less commonly used slang term for menstrutation is being “on the blob”.

This is a less widely used slang term which means you are on your period, and yet again one definitely meant in good fun and as more of a joke.

It most likely refers to “blobs” of blood that people will have to deal with when on their periods.

“I’ve been on the blob since yesterday and I’m just so tired,” for example.

Mother nature

One way that many people choose to refer to their menstruation is in terms of how it is very natural and overall a cycle of nature like anything else.

“Mother nature” is one such expression that is commonly used by many people when they are having their period.

You could realistically use this one outside of familiar settings, though not everyone will immediately understand what you mean.

“If I’ve been behaving strangely, it’s because of mother nature,” for example.

Moontime

Another slang expression for menstruation relating to the moon is “moontime”.

Again, this is a simple slang phrase that is used to refer to one’s menstrual cycle without having to explicitly mention it.

It relates to the idea, of course, that the moon influences your period, but this doesn’t have to be in a literal way.

One can reference the idea that your menstruation relates to the moon without necessarily absolutely subscribing to this idea.

“It’s moontime for me,” for example.

Red letter day

Finally, we have “red letter day”, a common expression used in British slang to refer to one’s menstruation.

It’s a bit less common than other terms, if only due to the fact that your menstruation does not, of course, last only a single day.

Nonetheless, this term is still popular and you may well hear it from time to time, though again it’s more likely to be used among friends.

“It’s a red letter day for me,” for example.

So, there are many, many slang terms and euphemisms for menstruation.

Whether you think we as a society need to be more open about these things or not, plainly there is still enormous utility in having widely understood slang terms for menstruation today.

Whether this will ever not be the case is very difficult to say, but it will take a long time to change no matter what happens.

More in British Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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