scatology

American  

[skuh-tol-uh-jee] / skəˈtɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of or preoccupation with excrement or obscenity.

2. obscenity, especially words or humor referring to excrement.

3. the study of fossil excrement.

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scatology British  

/ skæˈtɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the scientific study of excrement, esp in medicine for diagnostic purposes, and in palaeontology of fossilized excrement

2. obscenity or preoccupation with obscenity, esp in the form of references to excrement

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Other Word Forms

• scatologic adjective
• scatological adjective
• scatologist noun

Etymology

Origin of scatology

First recorded in 1875–80; scato- + -logy

Example Sentences

“South Park” is not immune from childishness, to put it mildly, and there is an element of “worst thought, best thought” in its humor; Parker and Stone are all in on scatology and dumb puns.

From Los Angeles Times

Of course, this is all dangerous bovine scatology.

From Salon

But if you want some fun in your science—and don’t mind a bit of scatology—read on!

From Science Magazine

Yes, there’s a bit of danger and a hint of scatology, but the Greeks are far more ribald.

From Washington Post

I ran this little poetry program in my head again and again, turning out dozens of nonsense limericks, complete with the requisite little-kid scatology.

From The New Yorker