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anus

1 American  
[ey-nuhs] / ˈeɪ nəs /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

anuses
  1. the opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal, through which the solid refuse of digestion is excreted.


-anus 2 American  
  1. a suffix occurring in scientific words of Latin origin.

    Platanus.


anus British  
/ ˈeɪnəs /

noun

  1. the excretory opening at the end of the alimentary canal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

anus Scientific  
/ ānəs /
  1. The opening at the lower end of the digestive tract through which solid waste is excreted.


anus Cultural  
  1. The opening through which feces pass out of the body.


Etymology

Origin of anus1

First recorded in 1650–60, anus is from the Latin word ānus ring, anus

Origin of -anus1

< Latin -ānus; -an

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You’re also at risk of developing hemorrhoids—swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum that can cause pain and bleeding—according to a study that came out last week.

From Slate

Pinworms, for example, cause itchiness in the anus and primarily spread between young children and their families, affecting up to 15% of the population at any given time.

From Salon

The latest discoveries include a map of the gut all the way from the mouth, down the oesphagus, into the stomach and intestines and out the anus.

From BBC

Previous research has demonstrated that M. Leidyi fuse within themselves whenever they need to defecate, squashing together their outer skin and digestive system fuse to form an opening— essentially creating a "disappearing anus" — yet this is the first evidence for two separate jellies becoming one.

From Salon

The head-tail axis determines the position of the two body openings, the mouth and anus.

From Science Daily