rectal

adjective

rec·​tal ˈrek-tᵊl 

: relating to, affecting, or being near the rectum

rectal walls

rectal cancer

rectally adverb

Examples of rectal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 72-year-old Vietnam vet had advanced colorectal cancer, which was causing rectal bleeding. — Eric Umansky, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2026

Infants under 3 months do best with a contactless forehead or rectal contact thermometer. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026

In 1994, Barrie was diagnosed with rectal cancer, prompting her to raise awareness about the disease. — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

In a study of 154 people with this type of rectal cancer who were treated with dostarlimab, 68% had a complete clinical response at one year, which meant doctors could not see evidence of tumors on imaging or other methods for tracking the tumors. — Alice Park, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rectal

• anorectal
• colorectal
• dialectal
• erectile
• projectile

Medical Definition

rectal

adjective

rec·​tal ˈrek-tᵊl 

: relating to, affecting, or being near the rectum

rectal bleeding

rectally

-ē 

adverb