anal

adjective

\ ˈā-nᵊl

Definition of anal

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, situated near, or involving the anus an anal fin

2 psychoanalytic theory

a : of, relating to, characterized by, or being the stage of psychosexual development which follows the oral stage (see oral entry 1 sense 3) and during which the child is concerned especially with his or her feces

b : of, relating to, characterized by, or being personality traits (such as parsimony, meticulousness, and ill humor) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive an anal disposition —often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise I have a mania for neatness in some matters that is almost anal.— Joseph Heller

anal

abbreviation

Definition of anal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 analogy

2 analysis; analytic

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Examples of anal in a Sentence

Adjective

He can be pretty anal about keeping his office neat.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape. — Marc Levy, The Seattle Times, "Report: Pennsylvania priests molested over 1,000 children," 14 Aug. 2018 The abuse ranged from groping and masturbation to anal, oral and vaginal rape. — Frank Miles, Fox News, "Stunning findings on report of Catholic Church abuse: Pa. priests molested more than 1,000 children," 14 Aug. 2018 Many high-end spas have started offering vaginal and anal bleaching, from laser treatments to specialized peels to lighten the area. — E.j. Dickson, Vox, "The dangerous rise of vaginal lightening," 6 Dec. 2018 The sphincter is a very important part of our anal area for being able to hold poop in. — Blake Bakkila, Health.com, "Here's What Chrissy Teigen Meant When She Said 'Life Is 90% Better When You Don't Rip to Your Butthole' During Childbirth," 22 May 2018 Those who have more advanced anal cancer might notice swollen lymph nodes in their groin. — Korin Miller, SELF, "‘Desperate Housewives’ Star Marcia Cross Reveals She’s in Recovery After Anal Cancer Treatment," 28 Sep. 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018 With vaginal deliveries, there is a real possibility not only of vaginal tearing, but pelvic floor problems that can manifest as urinary incontinence, anal sphincter injury and fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. — Kavin Senapathy, SELF, "Giving Birth Made Me Question the Informed Consent Process During Childbirth," 14 May 2018 The drawings — made on plastic plates — show a man hanging naked from chains while he is being subjected to electric shocks, another inmate on the floor surrounded by snarling dogs as several people kick him, and graphic depictions of anal rape. — Maggie Michael, Fox News, "In Yemen, 46 detainees released from UAE-controlled prison," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near anal

a nail in the/someone's coffin

Statistics for anal

Last Updated

1 Apr 2019

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Time Traveler for anal

The first known use of anal was in 1769

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More Definitions for anal

anal

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of anal

biology : of, relating to, or located near the anus

informal : extremely or overly neat, careful, or precise

See the full definition for anal in the English Language Learners Dictionary

anal

adjective

\ ˈā-nᵊl\

Kids Definition of anal

: relating to the anus

anal

adjective

\ ˈān-ᵊl

Medical Definition of anal

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or situated near the anus the anal opening anal fissures

2a : of, relating to, or characterized by the stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory that follows the oral stage and during which a child derives libidinal gratification from the expulsion and retention of the feces and conflict arises from parental demands regarding toilet training During the anal stage, from about 18 months to 3 years, the sphincter muscles become sensitive and controllable and bowel and bladder retention and elimination become a source of gratification.— David G. Myers, Psychology, 2001

b : of, relating to, or characterized by personality traits (as orderliness, frugality, and obstinacy) considered typical of fixation at the anal stage of development : anal-retentive —often used in nontechnical contexts to describe someone as extremely or excessively neat, careful, or precise — compare genital sense 3, oral sense 3, phallic sense 2