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excreta
plural noun
ex·cre·ta
ik-ˈskrē-tə
: waste matter (such as feces) eliminated or separated from the body
Synonyms
Examples of excreta in a Sentence
the cage badly needed to be cleaned of the rabbit's excreta
Recent Examples on the Web
The excreta of spiders Annals of the Entomological Society of America.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 14 Oct. 2024
Usually the sooty mold fungus feeds on the excreta of the insects and plant sap to also produce a black coating.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2024
This does not leave much available area for the porcupine to move around, let alone use the bathroom multiple times and still be able to avoid his excreta.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2024
The doctor’s diagnosis and prognosis relied on reading these excreta in addition to sensing subtle changes in the pulse.
—Meg Leja, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023
Outbreaks are sporadic and previous infections in South Asia have occurred when people drank date-palm sap contaminated with bat excreta.
—Reuters, NBC News, 14 Sep. 2023
Whale excreta may stimulate phytoplankton growth and capture atmospheric CO2; such indirect pathways represent the greatest potential for whale-carbon sequestration but are poorly understood.
—James Freeman, WSJ, 20 Dec. 2022
Monster is living in a year or more of his own excreta, nearly a foot deep.
—Gene Weingarten, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2021
In this particular case, the Inspiration4 crew, however, did not notice any excreta floating around the cabin because the leakage was still relegated to contained areas underneath the floor, Gerstenmaier said.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 26 Oct. 2021
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Word History
Etymology
New Latin, from Latin, neuter plural of excretus
First Known Use
1757, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near excreta
Cite this Entry
“Excreta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excreta. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
excreta
plural noun
ex·cre·ta
ek-ˈskrēt-ə
: waste matter eliminated or separated from the body
Medical Definition
excreta
noun plural
ex·cre·ta
ik-ˈskrēt-ə
: waste matter (as feces) eliminated or separated from the body compare excretion sense 2
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