excrete

verb

ex·​crete ik-ˈskrēt How to pronounce excrete (audio)
excreted; excreting

transitive verb

: to separate and eliminate or discharge (waste) from the blood, tissues, or organs or from the active protoplasm
excreter noun

Examples of excrete in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Penicillin is mainly excreted through the kidneys, and diminished kidney function can cause the drug to accumulate to toxic levels. Jenny Sweigard, Verywell Health, 16 Nov. 2023 The inside of the flesh could not be seen, but the fluids the body excreted—sweat, urine, menstrual blood, mucus, vomit and feces—carried messages about that invisible realm to the outside. Meg Leja, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023 The inside of the flesh could not be seen, but the fluids the body excreted – sweat, urine, menstrual blood, mucus, vomit and feces – carried messages about that invisible realm to the outside. Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2023 To make the new threads, engineers first designed a glue gun-like machine that slowly excretes heated LCE resin through a nozzle. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Oct. 2023 For example, phthalates are chemicals that are excreted very quickly so small changes can make a difference. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2023 Dark tea may mimic the effects of a class of a relatively new class of diabetes drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors, which allow the kidneys to excrete more glucose, thus lowering blood sugar levels, according to study authors. Byerin Prater, Fortune Well, 3 Oct. 2023 When consumed, delta 8 is metabolized by the body and excreted through urine. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023 Not Drinking Enough Water Bowel movements are made up of waste products that are being excreted from your body. Emily Shiffer, Health, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'excrete.' 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 excretus, past participle of excernere to sift out, discharge, from ex- + cernere to sift — more at certain

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of excrete was in 1620

Dictionary Entries Near excrete

Cite this Entry

“Excrete.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excrete. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

excrete

verb
ex·​crete ik-ˈskrēt How to pronounce excrete (audio)
excreted; excreting
: to separate and remove (waste produced by cellular activity) from the living body
urea is excreted by the kidneys in urine

Medical Definition

excrete

transitive verb
ex·​crete ik-ˈskrēt How to pronounce excrete (audio)
excreted; excreting
: to separate and eliminate or discharge (waste) from the blood, tissues, or organs or from the active protoplasm
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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