What does proctology mean?
Proctology is the branch of medicine that deals with the rectum and anus, including the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting them. A physician who specializes in this field is called a proctologist. The term can also refer more broadly to the academic study of the anatomy and diseases of these parts of the body. In conversation, patients may use the word to mean a specialist or a clinic concerned with colorectal health, although those uses are less formal than the medical sense. Proctology overlaps with gastroenterology and, in some healthcare systems, with colorectal surgery, but it has a more specific focus on the rectum and anus. The word is built from a Greek root meaning “anus” and the suffix meaning “study of” or “science of.” It is useful as a precise medical term where broader references to digestive or pelvic health might otherwise be vague.
nounThe branch of medicine concerned with the anatomy, diagnosis, and treatment of the rectum and anus. The term also refers to the academic study of this area.
- The medical specialty concerned with the rectum and anus, including their anatomy, diagnosis, and treatment.
- The academic study of the rectum and anus.
"She specializes in proctology and treats patients with chronic rectal and anal disorders."
"The hospital referred him to a specialist in proctology after an unusual rectal symptom was detected."
"Proctology combines clinical medicine with the study of disorders affecting the lower digestive tract."
The plural is uncommon because the word usually denotes one established medical field rather than multiple separate disciplines.
"The medical school offers advanced courses in several proctologies."
Proctology takes its name from the Greek word for the anus, making it one of the medical specialties whose very name points directly to the body part it treats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does proctology come from?
Proctology comes from the combining form procto-, derived from Greek proktos, meaning “anus,” together with the Greek-derived suffix -logy, meaning “study of” or “science of.” Its medical sense developed during the study and treatment of the rectum and anus. The same root appears in related medical terms such as proctitis, proctoscope, and proctologist.
Related word forms
How proctology is actually used
The term is formal and medical. It is often used attributively, as in “proctology clinic,” and is sometimes informally shortened in clinical conversation to “proctology.”