fecal

adjective

fe·​cal ˈfē-kəl How to pronounce fecal (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting feces

Examples of fecal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Because the whales eat krill that contain the toxin, the team knew testing the whales’ fecal samples would garner some of the best results. Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2025 This, combined with the steep gradients, means that rain and snowmelt quickly wash fecal matter—not just from humans, but from dogs and natural wildlife—from the surrounding slopes down into the low-lying lakes. Owen Clarke, Outside Online, 23 July 2025 Meanwhile in New Hampshire, fecal bacteria advisories were issued on Tuesday for Sandbornton Town Beach and FB Argue Recreation Area Beach. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 The culprit is fecal waste, a common summer problem in both freshwater and oceans that can cause gastrointestinal illness and skin infections. Shreya Srinivasan, NBC news, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fecal

Word History

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fecal was in 1541

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fecal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fecal. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

Medical Definition

fecal

adjective
fe·​cal
variants or chiefly British faecal
: of, relating to, or constituting feces
fecal incontinence
fecal matter
fecally adverb
or chiefly British faecally

More from Merriam-Webster on fecal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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