cloaca

American  

[kloh-ey-kuh] / kloʊˈeɪ kə /

noun

plural

cloacae

1. Zoology.

   1. the common cavity into which the intestinal, urinary, and generative canals open in birds, reptiles, amphibians, many fishes, and certain mammals.

   2. a similar cavity in invertebrates.

2. a sewer, especially an ancient sewer.

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cloaca British  

/ kləʊˈeɪkə /

noun

1. a cavity in the pelvic region of most vertebrates, except higher mammals, and certain invertebrates, into which the alimentary canal and the genital and urinary ducts open

2. a sewer

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Other Word Forms

• cloacal adjective
• precloacal adjective

Etymology

Origin of cloaca

1650–60; < Latin clo ( u ) āca, cluāca sewer, drain; probably akin to Greek klýzein to wash, wash away

Example Sentences

They transform some of those same nitrogen-based compounds into solids known as "urates," which are expelled through a shared opening called the cloaca.

From Science Daily

As the researchers report today in Science, mom released a white substance from her cloaca, which her young immediately gobbled up.

From Science Magazine

It can “breathe” through its cloaca if it needs to.

From NewsForKids.net

He swabbed the mouth and the cloaca and finally drew some blood from a vein in the neck.

From Science Magazine

And they’re like, ‘A pangolin kissed a turtle? Hurrrm. … Maybe a bat flew into the cloaca of a turkey and then it sneezed into my chili — and now we all have coronavirus.’

From Washington Times

Related Words

• culvert
• ditch
• duct
• pipe
• sewer