defecate

verb

def·​e·​cate ˈde-fi-ˌkāt How to pronounce defecate (audio)
defecated; defecating

intransitive verb

: to discharge feces from the bowels

transitive verb

1
: to discharge from the anus
2
: to free from impurity or corruption

Examples of defecate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Fact check: Old prank video misrepresented as migrant defecating in public The debit cards will be for migrant families living in hotel rooms the city secured as a last-resort housing option. Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 Wear gloves and promptly wash your hands after cleaning the litter box or being outdoors where a cat may have defecated. Bill Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024 Nearly a billion of those people use unsafe pit latrines or buckets, or defecate in the open. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Filed against three state agencies, the suit alleges children were locked down in isolation for up to weeks at a time and forced to eat, sleep and defecate in their cells. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Jan. 2024 In the clip, the pilot announced that someone on board had defecated in the plane’s front toilet. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023 The individual reportedly urinated and defecated on the neighbor's yard and went through their garbage before moving into the actor's yard. Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 21 June 2023 Another tactic, the French activist recounted, to communicate that outsiders are not welcome: tribespeople turn around and squat as if to defecate. Jordan Castro, Harper's Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024 Cats May Not Have a Poker Face After All In addition to litter boxes, people can pick up oocysts wherever a cat may have defecated, for example in the yard, sandbox, or garden (including unwashed fruits and vegetables). Bill Sullivan, Discover Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defecate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin defaecatus, past participle of defaecare, from de- + faec-, faex dregs, lees

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of defecate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near defecate

Cite this Entry

“Defecate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defecate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

defecate

verb
def·​e·​cate ˈdef-i-ˌkāt How to pronounce defecate (audio)
defecated; defecating
: to expel feces from the bowels
defecation noun

Medical Definition

defecate

verb
def·​e·​cate
variants or chiefly British defaecate
defecated; defecating

transitive verb

: to discharge from the anus

intransitive verb

: to discharge feces from the bowels

More from Merriam-Webster on defecate

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