micturate

Word family

• micturition
  nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Micturate is the most formal of these terms and is used almost exclusively in medical contexts — you would hear it from a doctor or read it in a clinical report, never in casual conversation. Urinate is the neutral, everyday word suitable for most situations, from talking to a pharmacist to speaking with a child. Pee is informal and common in relaxed speech; it is the word parents typically use with young children. Pass water is an old-fashioned polite expression that has largely fallen out of use, though some older speakers still prefer it. Example: a nurse might write 'patient unable to micturate' in a chart, but would ask the patient 'are you having any trouble urinating?'

Common collocations

Etymology

Borrowed into English in the 19th century from Latin micturīre ('to feel the need to urinate'), a desiderative form of mingere ('to urinate'). The word was adopted as a formal clinical alternative to older English terms, reflecting the medical profession's preference for Latin-based terminology.