stool

1 of 2

noun

ˈstül 

1

a

: a seat usually without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central pedestal

b

: a low bench or portable support for the feet or knees : footstool

2

: a seat used as a symbol of office or authority

also : the rank, dignity, office, or rule of a chieftain

3

a

: a discharge of fecal matter

b

: a seat used while defecating or urinating

4

a

: a stump or group of stumps of a tree especially when producing suckers

b

: a plant crown from which shoots grow out

c

: a shoot or growth from a stool

5

: stool pigeon sense 1

stool

2 of 2

verb

stooled; stooling; stools

intransitive verb

: to throw out shoots in the manner of a stool

Examples of stool in a Sentence

Noun

She sat on a stool.

The patient had bloody stools.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This should be the toughest reservation in town, because the chef Anastasia Dewi Tjahjadi cooks only one day a week (Selasa, or Tuesday) and there are just two folding tables and four stools, wedged between shelves at the back of a slim Indonesian grocery on Queens Boulevard. —Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Flushing the colon may release stool that hasn’t been cleared from your intestines, and may offer temporary relief from bloating or constipation for healthy people, Asamoah says. —Erica Sweeney, Time, 11 May 2026

Verb

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, isn’t broken down by gut bacteria and instead adds bulk to stool, promoting regular bowel movements. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 23 Apr. 2026

Certain probiotics also stimulate intestinal muscles to contract more effectively, helping move stool through your colon. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 21 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English stōl; akin to Old High German stuol chair, Old Church Slavic stolŭ seat, throne

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1770, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing stool

• cucking stool
• cutty stool
• ducking stool
• step stool
• stool pigeon

Rhymes for stool

• boule
• brule
• buhl
• cool
• drool
• fool
• ghoul
• mule
• pool
• poul
• rule
• school

Kids Definition

stool

noun

ˈstül

1

a

: a seat without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central post

b

: footstool

2

a

: a seat used while urinating or having a bowel movement

b

: a mass of bodily waste discharged from the intestine in a bowel movement

Medical Definition

stool

noun

ˈstül 

: a discharge of fecal matter