defecation

/ˌdefəˈkeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdefəˈkeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌde-fi-ˈkā-shən/ (ame, mw)

defecation — noun

1. the bodily process of pushing solid waste out through the back passage, usually

1.名詞C1
釋義

the bodily process of pushing solid waste out through the back passage, usually as part of normal digestion.

例句

After surgery, the nurses recorded each patient's first defecation as a sign of recovery.

clinical noun usage in a medical-records context

Eating more fruit and drinking water can make daily defecation easier and more regular.

collocation: daily / regular defecation

同義詞
  • bowel movement

    neutral medical English; far more common in clinical talk with patients

  • evacuation

    very formal, often hospital paperwork; can also mean leaving a place

  • excretion

    broader scientific term covering urine, sweat and faeces, not only solid waste

反義詞
  • constipation

    the opposite condition: solid waste is hard to pass or does not come out

  • retention

    medical word for holding waste inside instead of releasing it

用法筆記

Formal / medical word for what everyday English calls 'going to the toilet' or 'a bowel movement'. Subject is usually the person or animal whose body does it; often appears with adjectives like 'painful', 'normal', 'regular', 'public'.

常見錯誤

❌Emma had a defecation after lunch.
✅Emma had a bowel movement after lunch.
💡'defecation' is mass / process language; in everyday speech use 'bowel movement' or 'a poo'.
❌The dog did a defecation on the lawn.
✅The dog defecated on the lawn.
💡use the verb 'defecate' for the single act; the noun names the process, not one piece of waste.