rectum

American  

[rek-tuhm] / ˈrɛk təm /

noun

Anatomy.

plural

rectums, recta

1. the comparatively straight, terminal section of the intestine, ending in the anus.

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rectum British  

/ ˈrɛktəm /

noun

1. the lower part of the alimentary canal, between the sigmoid flexure of the colon and the anus

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rectum Scientific  

/ rĕk′təm /

plural

rectums

1. The last section of the digestive tract, extending from the colon to the anus, in which feces is stored for elimination from the body.

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rectum Cultural  

1. The outermost portion of the large intestine. Feces are stored in the rectum until they are passed out of the body through the anus.

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Etymology

Origin of rectum

1535–45; < New Latin rēctum ( intestīnum ) the straight (intestine)

Example Sentences

You’re also at risk of developing hemorrhoids—swollen veins in the anus and lower rectum that can cause pain and bleeding—according to a study that came out last week.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2025

A Spanish-speaking detainee at California’s McFarland immigrant detention facility was struggling in May 2023 to tell a doctor, in broken English, that he sometimes bled from his rectum.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2024

In severe cases, patients may require surgical removal of all or part of the rectum.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2024

Stephen has ulcerative colitis, a condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2024

Actually, there are three folding chairs at a table immediately adjacent to the bathroom, but hardly anyone ever sits in this, the very rectum of the gastroarchitectural system.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich