fecal

adjective

fe·​cal ˈfē-kəl How to pronounce fecal (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting feces

Examples of fecal 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.
MacIntosh also points out that the fecal avoidance experiment bears little connection to how the initial outbreak spread, through bodily fluids transmitted through scratches or bites. — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 23 Oct. 2026 In one study involving teens with obesity, for instance, O’Sullivan and his colleagues found that participants who ingested fecal transplant capsules loaded with healthy gut bacteria had better metabolic health years later than those who didn’t. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 2026 The Cleveland Clinic describes them as tightening and releasing those muscles to build strength, and says the payoff can include help with urinary incontinence, urge incontinence, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026 Photos from the event show Wietrzytk pushing a workout sled, doing burpees, rowing, and running through stations while covered in fecal matter. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fecal

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin faecālis, from Latin faec-, faex "wine lees, tartar, dregs" (Medieval Latin also "excrement") + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fecal was in 1541

Rhymes for fecal

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Browse Nearby Words

fec
fecal
feces
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Cite this Entry

“Fecal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fecal. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Medical Definition

fecal

adjective
fe·​cal
variants or chiefly British faecal
ˈfē-kəl How to pronounce fecal (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting feces
fecal incontinence
fecal matter
fecally adverb
or chiefly British faecally
-kə-lē How to pronounce fecal (audio)
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