English Reference
Noun

feces

n. plural-only
C1 Advanced US /ˈfiˌsiz/ fe·ces UK spelling faeces

n.the solid waste that leaves the body after food is digested.

n.waste matter discharged from the bowels after food has been digested. Often used in medical or scientific contexts to describe excrement.


SIMPLE

The doctor asked for a sample of his feces.

CONTEXTUAL

Scientists analyzed the fossilized feces to determine what the ancient animals ate.

COMPLEX

Proper sanitation systems are essential for public health because they prevent the spread of diseases found in human feces, which can contaminate local water supplies.

Usage

Takes a plural verb ('feces are') and has no singular form in common usage.

In the U.S., feces usually end up in sewage systems.

The Conversation· 10 Aug 2026

All that data pointed to something we’ve overlooked: the raw nutrients that fed the ancestors of today’s animal phyla may have reached the ocean depths thanks to feces.

Ars Technica· 12 Aug 2026

From Latin faecēs, nominative plural of faex (“residue, dregs”), further origin unknown; possibly borrowed from a substrate language.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin faecēs
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated