bowel movement

noun

plural bowel movements

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus

He had a two-day history of right lower abdominal pain … without bowel movements.

—William W. Scott, Jr. et al.

also : fecal matter expelled at one passage : stool sense 3a

Cats get infected from contact with other cats' bowel movements or by predation.

—Donald Caslow

Examples of bowel movement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Soluble and insoluble fibers help promote regular bowel movements. —Larell Scardelli, Verywell Health, 5 Mar. 2025

My worst symptom was constipation, often going 10 or more days without a bowel movement. —Sarah Bence, Health, 4 Mar. 2025

The safest alternative was to allow any object to pass naturally through a bowel movement, doctors said, according to court records. —Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025

Difficulty with bowel movements, such as straining, pain, or even bleeding, can lead to hemorrhoids. —Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bowel movement

• improvement

Kids Definition

bowel movement

noun

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus

also : fecal matter expelled at one passage : stool

Medical Definition

bowel movement

noun

: an act of passing usually solid waste through the rectum and anus