tenesmus

[ tuh-nez-muhs, -nes- ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a straining to urinate or defecate, without the ability to do so.

tenesmus

/ -ˈnɛs-; tɪˈnɛzməs /

noun

1. pathol an ineffective painful straining to empty the bowels in response to the sensation of a desire to defecate, without producing a significant quantity of faeces

Derived Forms

• teˈnesmic, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenesmus¹

1520–30; < Medieval Latin, variant of Latin tēnesmos < Greek teinesmós, equivalent to teín ( ein ) to stretch + -esmos noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenesmus¹

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin tēnesmos, from Greek teinesmos, from teinein to strain

Example Sentences

This is called tenesmus, and the straining from it has frequently produced abortion.

From Project Gutenberg

Of tenesmus I happened to hear of but a single instance, though the Laplanders eat so much cheese and drink water.

From Project Gutenberg

To be used in alvine fluxes, to allay the irritation which occasions constant tenesmus.

From Project Gutenberg

A discharge of blood and mucus from the intestines attended with tenesmus.

From Project Gutenberg

In half an hour there was abdominal pain, diarrhœa, and tenesmus, and frequent painful micturition.

From Project Gutenberg