cloaca

noun

clo·​a·​ca klō-ˈā-kə How to pronounce cloaca (audio)
plural cloacae klō-ˈā-ˌkē How to pronounce cloaca (audio)
-ˌsē
1
2
a
[New Latin, from Latin] : the common chamber into which the intestinal and urogenital tracts discharge especially in monotreme mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and elasmobranch fishes
also : a comparable chamber of an invertebrate
b
: the enlarged terminal part of the posterior embryonic digestive tract of a mammal that gives rise to the rectum, upper anal canal, and urogenital sinus
3
cloacal adjective

Examples of cloaca in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After a gestational period, the female lays those eggs from that selfsame cloaca. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2023 And that a one-stop shop is called a cloaca. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 23 Nov. 2017 In female turkeys, the droppings exit the large intestine into the cloaca. Christie Wilcox, Discover Magazine, 23 Nov. 2017 Sometimes, males will present their cloaca—the single opening for the bird’s digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts—which females inspect, perhaps looking for signs of infection, writes New Scientist’s Christa Lesté-Lasserre. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Nov. 2022 In others, muscles surrounding the cloaca could block an unwanted male, or dilate to allow entry to a preferred suitor. Rachel E. Gross, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Mar. 2022 Paleontologists have also found on the same Psittacosaurus fossil a dinosaur cloaca and countershading camouflage, Gizmodo reports. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 June 2022 Water snakes, like many snake species, will release a strong, musky odor from scent glands in their cloaca — an opening used for reproduction and excretion located near the base of the tail — when they are threatened or handled. Don Lyman, BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2022 But a study published this year has offered experts their first detailed look at a dinosaur cloaca and its resemblance to the same setup in crocodiles. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cloaca.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin; akin to Greek klyzein to wash — more at clyster

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cloaca was circa 1656

Dictionary Entries Near cloaca

Cite this Entry

“Cloaca.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloaca. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cloaca

noun
clo·​aca
klō-ˈā-kə
plural cloacae
-ˌkē,
-ˌsē
: a chamber into which the intestinal, urinary, and reproductive canals empty in birds, reptiles, amphibians, and some fishes
also : a chamber like this in an invertebrate animal that serves the same purpose
cloacal
-ˈā-kəl
adjective

Medical Definition

cloaca

noun
clo·​aca klō-ˈā-kə How to pronounce cloaca (audio)
plural cloacae -ˌkē, -ˌsē How to pronounce cloaca (audio)
1
a
: the common chamber into which the intestinal, urinary, and generative canals discharge especially in monotreme mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and elasmobranch fishes
b
: the terminal part of the embryonic hindgut of a mammal before it divides into rectum, bladder, and genital precursors
2
: a passage in a bone leading to a cavity containing a sequestrum
cloacal adjective

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