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.

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-anus ² American  

1. a suffix occurring in scientific words of Latin origin.

   Platanus.

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anus British  

/ ˈeɪnəs /

noun

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

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anus Scientific  

/ ā′nəs /

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

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anus Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of anus¹

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

Origin of -anus²

< Latin -ānus; -an

Example Sentences

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 • Sep. 12, 2025

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

From Science Daily • Jun. 18, 2024

This bacteria comes from the mother’s anus as the baby is positioned head down, facing its mother’s back, with its chin tucked to its chest.

From Salon • May 10, 2024

So far, she has stuck her head in a box with snakes, eaten pizza topped with scorpions and cow anus, and faced electric shocks while crawling through a tunnel.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2023

Within minutes, Ray cut the shark from the gills to the anus and used a small knife to free the skin and muscle that covered the abdominal cavity.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen