meconium
Americannoun
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the first fecal excretion of a newborn child, composed chiefly of bile, mucus, and epithelial cells.
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fecal mass released at pupation by the larvae of some insects.
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the milky sap of the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy; crude opium.
noun
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the dark green mucoid material that forms the first faeces of a newborn infant
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opium or the juice from the opium poppy
Etymology
Origin of meconium
1595–1605; < Latin < Greek mēkṓnion, diminutive of mḗkōn poppy
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.
The following day, traces of meconium – a baby's first poo – were detected, which can be a sign of distress in a baby.
From BBC
However, things didn’t quite go to plan and Indigo became stressed and showed signs of meconium aspiration syndrome, which basically means he had a bowel movement inside of me and that became an emergency.”
From BBC
The group is now investigating the occurrence of microbial metabolites in other mammals: piglets and calves, as well as in the meconium and amniotic fluid samples of babies.
From Science Daily
Lo wrote that doctors discovered her newborn swallowed meconium, which led to pneumonia.
From Los Angeles Times
Over the last year, research has shown the presence of these particles in human blood, healthy lung tissue and meconium — the first bowel movement of a newborn.
From Los Angeles Times
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.