What does anus mean?
The anus is the opening at the lower end of the digestive tract, through which solid waste is expelled from the body. It is controlled by two sphincter muscles — one involuntary and one voluntary — which regulate the passage of feces and maintain continence. As a term, 'anus' is formal and clinical, belonging firmly to the vocabulary of anatomy, medicine, and biology; it appears routinely in textbooks, medical consultations, and health education, but it is rarely spoken in casual conversation, where it can strike listeners as blunt or embarrassing. The word derives from the Latin 'anus', meaning 'ring', a reference to its shape, and shares that root with related terms such as 'annular' and 'annulus'. Its derived adjective 'anal' appears in both medical contexts (as in 'anal sphincter') and, separately, in psychological usage from Freudian theory. Knowing the term is useful for reading medical information accurately and discussing digestive health precisely.
nounThe opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste matter is discharged from the body.
- The opening at the lower end of the alimentary canal through which feces are expelled from the body.
"The surgeon explained that the procedure would not affect the function of the anus."
"Damage to the sphincter muscles can affect control of the anus."
"In the anatomy lecture, the professor traced the path of digestion from the esophagus down to the anus."
The plural is rare, appearing mainly in comparative anatomy or medical texts discussing multiple specimens or species.
"The study compared the anatomy of the anuses across several mammalian species."
The word 'anus' comes straight from the Latin for 'ring' — the same root that gives us 'annular' and 'annulus', making it a distant cousin of words describing anything ring-shaped.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anus
The word 'anus' was borrowed into English from Latin, likely in the late Middle English to early modern period, directly from Latin 'ānus' meaning 'ring' or 'circle', a reference to the structure's shape. The same Latin root underlies English words such as 'annulus' (a ring-shaped structure) and 'annular' (ring-shaped), as well as 'annulet'. The adjective 'anal' was formed from 'anus' in the 19th century, and later acquired a distinct figurative sense through Freudian psychoanalytic terminology.
Related word forms
How anus is actually used
This is a formal anatomical and medical term. It is standard in scientific, clinical, and educational contexts, though it may be considered crude or awkward in casual conversation, where speakers often avoid naming it directly. It is not typically used in polite everyday speech except when discussing medicine or biology.
Easily confused with anus
Annus is a Latin word meaning 'year' (as in annus mirabilis), whereas anus is the anatomical term for the terminal opening of the digestive tract.