feces
LowTechnical / Medical / Formal
Definition
Meaning
Waste matter discharged from the bowels; excrement.
Waste matter or dregs in general; sediment.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a clinical, technical, or scientific term for solid bodily waste. Less common than 'excrement' or colloquial terms like 'poo' in everyday speech.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'faeces' is standard in UK English; 'feces' is standard in US English.
Connotations
Identical scientific/technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Used with similar low frequency in formal/technical contexts in both varieties. British English may show a slightly higher preference for 'excrement'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
analysis of ~presence of ~ incontamination by ~to pass ~Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[none directly using 'feces'; related: 'full of crap/shit', 'in deep shit']”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical, biological, veterinary, and public health papers.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; considered overly clinical or blunt.
Technical
Standard term in medical diagnostics, sanitation engineering, biology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The patient was unable to faece normally.
- The lab needs to analyse the faecal sample.
American English
- The specimen must be fecally examined.
- The animal failed to feces.
adjective
British English
- Faecal incontinence is a serious condition.
- The faecal sample was collected.
American English
- Fecal incontinence is a serious condition.
- The fecal sample was collected.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor asked for a sample.
- Poor sanitation can lead to water contaminated with animal feces.
- The study analysed the bacterial content in the feces of the test subjects.
- Archaeologists can glean insights into ancient diets from the analysis of preserved human feces.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'FAECES': 'Formal And Excrement, Clinical English Spelling' (UK). US drops the 'a'.
Conceptual Metaphor
WASTE IS FILTH / WASTE IS USELESS BYPRODUCT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian 'фекалии' (fecalii) which is a direct cognate but even more strictly scientific/technical. 'Feces' is the more general English term for this register. Russian 'кал' (kal) is the closer equivalent in clinical use.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronouncing as /feɪsiːz/ or /feɪʃiːz/. Incorrect singular form 'fece' (correct singular is rarely used; 'feces' is usually plural in construction).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'feces' most appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is typically treated as a plural noun (e.g., 'The feces are being tested'), though it can sometimes be used as a mass noun. There is no common singular form.
'Feces' is the standard term in medical and biological sciences. 'Excrement' is slightly more general and can be used in both technical and formal non-technical contexts.
To adopt a clinical, detached, or scientifically precise tone, avoiding the vulgarity or childishness of colloquial terms.
No, it is not standard. You would say 'a stool sample', 'a piece of feces', or 'some feces'.