bowel movement

noun

plural bowel movements

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus

He had a two-day history of right lower abdominal pain … without bowel movements.

—William W. Scott, Jr. et al.

also : fecal matter expelled at one passage : stool sense 3a

Cats get infected from contact with other cats' bowel movements or by predation.

—Donald Caslow

Examples of bowel movement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In one study, participants with diarrhea-dominant IBS experienced fewer bowel movements after four weeks of treatment with cumin. —Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 26 Aug. 2025

Fight Colorectal Cancer, a leading patient advocacy group, noted on its website how bowel movements can change due to diet, infections, medications and other medical issues. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Yellow dragon fruit is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber, which benefit healthier bowel movements. —Lauren O'Connor, Health, 5 Aug. 2025

Soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol levels and stabilize blood sugar, while insoluble fiber can support digestion, regular bowel movements and prevention of constipation. —Renée Onque, CNBC, 31 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bowel movement

• improvement

Kids Definition

bowel movement

noun

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus

also : fecal matter expelled at one passage : stool

Medical Definition

bowel movement

noun

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus