anus
UK[ˈeɪnəs]US[ˈeɪnəs]
n
The opening at the end of the alimentary canal through which solid waste leaves the body.
Etymology
The word 'anus' was directly adopted into English from Latin, where it carried the identical anatomical meaning of 'ring' or 'fundamental opening'. The Latin term is believed to have descended from the Proto-Indo-European root āno- meaning 'ring', a concept vividly describing the circular form of the body part. This etymological journey from a simple word for a circular shape to a specific anatomical term demonstrates a common pattern where basic physical descriptions become precise scientific vocabulary. The word has remained remarkably stable in both form and core meaning from its ancient origins to its use in modern medical and common English.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword from Latin. It does not contain separable morphemes in its modern English spelling.
Examples
The surgeon carefully examined the area around the anus.
Certain muscles, called sphincters, control the opening and closing of the anus.
In human anatomy, the anus is the terminal part of the digestive tract.