colorectal

adjective

co·​lo·​rec·​tal ˌkō-lō-ˈrek-tᵊl How to pronounce colorectal (audio)
: relating to or affecting the colon and rectum
colorectal cancer

Examples of colorectal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On Thursday, Ng published a new study in Nature Medicine that may help illuminate critical differences between older and younger colorectal cancer patients. — Angus Chen, STAT, 29 Oct. 2026 Eating a diet rich in garlic may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. — Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026 Patients who underwent colorectal surgery and took Ambien required less opioid medication during and in the first 24 hours after the procedure. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 In recent months, the German company BioNTech announced clinical trial failures for experimental vaccines for colorectal and head and neck cancers. — David Cox, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for colorectal

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of colorectal was in 1889

Rhymes for colorectal

See All Rhymes for colorectal

Browse Nearby Words

color dimension
colorectal
colored
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Cite this Entry

“Colorectal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colorectal. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

colorectal

adjective
co·​lo·​rec·​tal ˌkō-lə-ˈrek-tᵊl, ˌkäl-ə- How to pronounce colorectal (audio)
: relating to or affecting the colon and the rectum
colorectal cancer
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