steatorrhea

noun

ste·​at·​or·​rhea (ˌ)stē-ˌa-tə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce steatorrhea (audio)
: an excess of fat in the stools

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steatorrhea was circa 1859

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steatorrhea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steatorrhea. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

steatorrhea

noun
ste·​at·​or·​rhea
variants or chiefly British steatorrhoea
: an excess of fat in the stools
idiopathic steatorrhea

More from Merriam-Webster on steatorrhea

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster