What does anuresis mean?
Anuresis is a medical term denoting the complete or nearly complete inability to pass urine. The condition may arise when something physically blocks the flow of urine — such as kidney stones, tumours, or an enlarged prostate — or when the kidneys themselves fail to produce urine, as in severe kidney disease. Because the body cannot eliminate waste without urinary output, anuresis is regarded as a serious symptom requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment, often through catheterisation or management of the underlying cause. The word derives from Greek roots relating to urination, sharing its linguistic family with related terms such as diuresis (excessive urination) and enuresis (involuntary urination, as in bedwetting). Anuresis belongs to formal clinical vocabulary rather than everyday language, appearing chiefly in medical textbooks, case reports, and hospital records. Its precise meaning — total suppression rather than mere difficulty — makes it a useful term for distinguishing the most severe form of impaired urination from milder complaints such as dysuria.
nounAnuresis is the complete or near-complete inability to pass urine, typically due to obstruction of the urinary tract or failure of the kidneys to produce urine. It is a serious medical condition, distinct from merely reduced urine output.
- Complete suppression or inability to pass urine, whether from urinary tract obstruction or renal failure.
"The nephrologist noted that the patient's anuresis had persisted for over twelve hours, prompting immediate intervention."
"After the surgery, the surgical team monitored the patient closely for any sign of anuresis."
"Untreated anuresis can rapidly lead to dangerous levels of waste products accumulating in the blood."
The plural follows the standard -is → -es pattern for Greek-derived medical nouns, as with 'diagnoses' or 'enureses'.
"The textbook chapter reviewed several cases of post-renal anureses."
Anuresis comes from a Greek word for urination — but it describes the exact opposite of what you'd expect: not being able to go at all.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anuresis
Anuresis derives from the Greek elements an- ('without') and ouresis ('urination'), giving it the literal sense of 'no urination'. It entered English medical usage in the nineteenth century, when classical Greek compounds were widely adopted into clinical terminology. It shares this Greek root with cognate terms such as diuresis, enuresis, and polyuria, all of which describe different states of urinary function.
How anuresis is actually used
Anuresis is a formal medical term used almost exclusively in clinical contexts; it is rare in everyday speech. In modern practice, clinicians often speak more broadly of 'anuria' (absence of urine) or 'urinary retention', so anuresis may be encountered mainly in older or more specialized medical literature.
Easily confused with anuresis
Enuresis is involuntary urination (as in bedwetting), whereas anuresis is the inability to urinate at all.
Diuresis is excessive production and passage of urine, the opposite of anuresis.
Dysuria is painful or difficult urination, while anuresis is the complete absence of urine output.