scatology

[skuh-tol-uh-jee]

noun

1. the study of or preoccupation with excrement or obscenity.

2. obscenity, especially words or humor referring to excrement.

3. the study of fossil excrement.

scatology

/ skæˈtɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the scientific study of excrement, esp in medicine for diagnostic purposes, and in palaeontology of fossilized excrement

2. obscenity or preoccupation with obscenity, esp in the form of references to excrement

Other Word Forms

• scatological adjective
• scatologic adjective
• scatologist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scatology¹

First recorded in 1875–80; scato- + -logy

Example Sentences

“South Park” is not immune from childishness, to put it mildly, and there is an element of “worst thought, best thought” in its humor; Parker and Stone are all in on scatology and dumb puns.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Of course, this is all dangerous bovine scatology.

Read more on Salon

His mind swirled with scatology and characters from pulp fiction and the cinema.

Read more on Washington Post

But if you want some fun in your science—and don’t mind a bit of scatology—read on!

Read more on Science Magazine

Yes, there’s a bit of danger and a hint of scatology, but the Greeks are far more ribald.

Read more on Washington Post