feces

especially British, fae·ces

[fee-seez]

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. waste matter discharged from the intestines through the anus; excrement.

2. dregs; sediment.

feces

/ ˈfiːsiːz /

plural noun

1. the usual US spelling of faeces

feces

1. Waste matter eliminated from the intestinal tract.

feces

1. Excrement; the waste material that is passed to the outside from the rectum through the anus.

Word History and Origins

Origin of feces¹

1425–75; late Middle English < Latin faecēs grounds, dregs, sediment (plural of faex )

Example Sentences

It’s unclear who is throwing the feces — or why.

From Los Angeles Times

Mark flushes Miranda’s toilet and it overflows, sending a previous occupant’s feces all over the tile.

From Salon

The disease is caused by Rickettsia typhi bacteria, which can be spread to humans when feces from infected fleas is rubbed into cuts or scrapes on the skin or into the eyes.

From Los Angeles Times

The cub was malnourished and covered in feces with patches of fur missing.

From Los Angeles Times

Some of these parasites like the microscopic cryptosporidium — usually transmitted through water or food that has been contaminated with feces, including raw milk — have become more common over the past decade, according to the review.

From Salon

Related Words

• dung 
• excrement 
• poo 
• poop 
• shit