definitions

excretion

1
[ ik-skree-shuh n ]
/ ɪkˈskri ʃən /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR excretion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of excreting.
the substance excreted, as urine or sweat, or certain plant products.

RELATED WORDS

expulsion, ejection, secretion, defecation, evacuation, elimination, discharge, exudation, perspiration, urination, leaving, excrement, feces, excreta

Nearby words

excrescency, excrescent, excrescently, excreta, excrete, excretion, excretory, excretory duct, excretory ductule of lacrimal gland, excretory gland, excretory system

Origin of excretion

1
1595–1605; < Late Latin excrētiōn- (stem of excrētiō) that which is sifted out. See excrete, -ion

Definition for excretion (2 of 2)

excretion

2
[ ik-skree-shuh n ]
/ ɪkˈskri ʃən /

noun

the state of being excrescent.
an excrescence.

Origin of excretion

2
1605–15; < Late Latin excrētiōn- (stem of excrētiō), equivalent to Latin excrēt(us) (past participle of excrēscere; see ex-1, crescent) + iōn- -ion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for excretion

Word Origin and History for excretion

excretion

n.

c.1600, from French excrétion (16c.), from Latin excretionem, noun of action from past participle stem of excernere "to discharge" (see excrement).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Medicine definitions for excretion

excretion

[ ĭk-skrē′shən ]

n.

The act or process of discharging waste matter from the blood, tissues, or organs.
The matter, such as urine, feces, or sweat, that is so excreted.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for excretion

excretion

[ ĭk-skrē′shən ]

The elimination by an organism of waste products that result from metabolic processes. In plants, waste is minimal and is eliminated primarily by diffusion to the outside environment. Animals have specific organs of excretion. In vertebrates, the kidney filters blood, conserving water and producing urea and other waste products in the form of urine. The urine is then passed through the ureters to the bladder and discharged through the urethra. The skin and lungs, which eliminate carbon dioxide, are also excretory organs.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.