defecate
Americanverb (used without object)
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to void excrement from the bowels through the anus; have a bowel movement.
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to become clear of dregs, impurities, etc.
verb (used with object)
verb
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(intr) to discharge waste from the body through the anus
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(tr) to clarify or remove impurities from (a solution, esp of sugar)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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defecatesimple
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defecatessimple
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have defecatedperfect
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has defecatedperfect
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am defecatingprogressive
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are defecatingprogressive
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is defecatingprogressive
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have been defecatingperfect progressive
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has been defecatingperfect progressive
Past
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defecatedsimple
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had defecatedperfect
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was defecatingprogressive
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were defecatingprogressive
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had been defecatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of defecate
First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin dēfaecātus (past participle of dēfaecāre “to cleanse, refine”), equivalent to dē- de- + faec- (stem of faex “dregs, sediment”) + -ātus -ate 1
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.
Defecate, def′e-kāt, v.t. to clear from dregs or impurities: to purify from extraneous matter.—v.i. to void excrement.—n.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
