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enema

American  
[en-uh-muh] / ˈɛn ə mə /

noun

Medicine/Medical.
  1. the injection of a fluid into the rectum to cause a bowel movement.

  2. the fluid injected.

  3. Also called enema bag.  a rubber bag or other device for administering an enema.


enema British  
/ ˈɛnɪmə /

noun

  1. the introduction of liquid into the rectum to evacuate the bowels, medicate, or nourish

  2. the liquid so introduced

"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

Etymology

Origin of enema

First recorded in 1675–85; from Late Latin, from Greek: “injection,” from en- en- 2 + (h)e- (stem of hiénai “to send, throw”) + -ma, noun suffix

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.

If that means I have to get a coffee enema, I’m getting a coffee enema.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2025

The microbiome company Rebiotix Inc. last year announced positive results from a phase 3 trial of its recurrent C. difficile treatment, a filtered stool product delivered as an enema.

From Science Magazine • Jan. 19, 2022

Called fleets because they were fleeting, the word is also a brand name for an enema — something many people pointed out on Twitter when the feature launched.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2021

To its credit, sometimes I use ESPN’s “First Take” as a substitute for an enema.

From Washington Post • Dec. 2, 2018

Amid hot-water bottles and enema bags, he placed his bets.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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