excretion

¹ American  

[ik-skree-shuhn] / ɪkˈskri ʃən /

noun

1. the act of excreting.

2. the substance excreted, as urine or sweat, or certain plant products.

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excretion ² American  

[ik-skree-shuhn] / ɪkˈskri ʃən /

noun

1. the state of being excrescent.

2. an excrescence.

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excretion Scientific  

/ ĭk-skrē′shən /

1. The elimination by an organism of waste products that result from metabolic processes. In plants, waste is minimal and is eliminated primarily by diffusion to the outside environment. Animals have specific organs of excretion. In vertebrates, the kidney filters blood, conserving water and producing urea and other waste products in the form of urine. The urine is then passed through the ureters to the bladder and discharged through the urethra. The skin and lungs, which eliminate carbon dioxide, are also excretory organs.

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Etymology

Origin of excretion¹

1595–1605; < Late Latin excrētiōn- (stem of excrētiō ) that which is sifted out. See excrete, -ion

Origin of excretion²

1605–15; < Late Latin excrētiōn- (stem of excrētiō ), equivalent to Latin excrēt ( us ) (past participle of excrēscere; ex- ¹, crescent ) + iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Humans treat our waste excretion as an intensely private experience.

From Salon • Jan. 20, 2025

In her 2024 Booker Prize-winning novel Orbital, author Samantha Harvey puts it more lyrically: "A robot has no need for hydration, nutrients, excretion, sleep… It wants and asks for nothing."

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2024

Their framework reveals diverse functions -- such as excretion, venom spraying, prey hunting, spore dispersal, and plant guttation -- highlighting potential applications in soft robotics, additive manufacturing, and drug delivery.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2024

Scientists have widely studied how creatures across the animal kingdom eat and drink, but few have delved into the mysteries of fluid excretion.

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2024

Jim Don had disappeared to the toilet for his ritualistic pre-game excretion.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy