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

Explanation

The anus is the hole in the middle of your buttocks. When you poop or fart, you're using your anus. When you talk about your anus, you're using a formal, scientific word. Many kids and adults are more likely to use a slangy term like butthole or bunghole when discussing their anus, but if you're speaking to adults or writing a paper, anus is the word you want. The anus might seem like a funny part of the body, and maybe it is, but it's also incredibly important. Without an anus, you'd die.

Example Sentences

The Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine protects against types of HPV that can cause cancers of the mouth, throat, vulva, vagina, penis and anus.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2026

They lack a mouth, anus, and digestive tract, yet they survive by drilling root-like structures into bone.

From Science Daily • Dec. 28, 2025

The gruesome trials often require celebrities to eat delicacies like kangaroo anus, crocodile penis and sheep semen, or be trapped with creatures such as snakes, cockroaches and rats.

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2025

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

At the second it was in position at the base of his tail, Richard Parker’s anus distended, and out of it, like a bubble-gum balloon, came a black sphere of excrement.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel