What does excreted mean?
"Excreted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "excrete," meaning to discharge waste matter from the body or from an organism. It applies to processes such as the removal of urine by the kidneys, sweat by the skin, or carbon dioxide by the lungs, and it is also used at the cellular level to describe how cells pass out metabolic by-products. The word belongs firmly to formal registers: it appears most often in medicine, physiology, and biology writing, where precision about which organ or system eliminated which substance matters. Unlike "secreted," which describes the release of useful substances such as hormones or enzymes, "excreted" is reserved for waste. Derived from the Latin "excernere," meaning to sift or separate out, it entered English in the early seventeenth century. Its precise, clinical character makes it indispensable in scientific prose even though it rarely surfaces in casual conversation.
verbPast tense and past participle of "excrete": to discharge waste matter, such as urine, sweat, or faeces, from the body or from a cell or organism.
- To discharge waste matter (such as urine, sweat, or carbon dioxide) from the body or an organism.
- (Biology, of a cell) To pass out waste products produced by metabolism.
"The kidneys excreted the excess salt through the urine."
"The kidneys filtered the blood and excreted the waste as urine."
"Marine birds excreted excess salt through specialized glands near their beaks."
Your body quietly excretes around two litres of fluid a day — and the word itself literally means 'sifted out' in Latin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of excreted
"Excreted" derives from the Latin "excretus," past participle of "excernere," meaning to sift out or separate, formed from "ex-" (out) plus "cernere" (to sift or discern). The word entered English in the early seventeenth century, initially in physiological contexts describing the separation and removal of waste. It shares this root with "secrete," from Latin "secernere," and with related forms such as "excretion" and "excretory."
Related word forms
How excreted is actually used
"Excreted" is a formal, scientific term used chiefly in biology, medicine, and physiology. In everyday speech people usually say "got rid of" or name the specific act. The word carries no emotional connotation but can sound clinical when applied to humans.
Easily confused with excreted
"Secreted" refers to producing and releasing useful substances such as hormones or enzymes, whereas "excreted" refers specifically to discharging waste matter from the body.
"Execrated" means cursed or loathed intensely, while "excreted" means discharged as bodily waste.