The abnormal accumulation or retention of feces in the colon or rectum, often causing discomfort or digestive distress.
Greek 'kopro-' (feces) + 'stasis' (a standing or stoppage), literally meaning 'fecal stoppage,' used in medical terminology since the 19th century.
The prefix 'copro-' appears in dozens of medical and biological terms, revealing how much historical interest scientists had in studying waste products—because understanding what the body eliminates tells us what it absorbed.
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