call of nature

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a need to urinate or defecate.

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call of nature Idioms  

1. Need to urinate or defecate, as in He left to answer the call of nature. This euphemism may be dying out. [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of call of nature

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

These horses occasionally answered the call of nature, creating a bacteria-filled environment that required the athletic trainer to keep a supply of tetanus shots on hand, to be administered when players’ wounds broke the skin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

However, she almost missed her big moment by attending to a call of nature minutes before her name was called out.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2022

A lot of workers will talk about how the bathrooms are far enough away that heeding the call of nature can actually eat into your productivity.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2021

They also had to answer the call of nature, like everybody else - resulting in a very quirky lot.

From Washington Times • Sep. 27, 2017

She, too, pretended he had merely left his post to answer a call of nature.

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks