Excrement

/ˈɛkskrimənt/ noun

Definition

Waste material that comes out of a body through bowels, also called feces or poop; a gross but necessary biological process.

Etymology

From Latin 'excernere,' combining 'ex-' (out) and 'cernere' (to sift or separate). The word literally means 'what is sifted out' of the body.

Kelly Says

Despite being taboo to discuss, excrement is incredibly important to science—parasitologists study it to understand disease, archaeologists analyze ancient poop to learn about diets, and doctors use it to diagnose illnesses, making this 'gross' word genuinely fascinating to researchers.

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