Tenesmus
/tɪˈnɛz.məs/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A continual or recurrent but ineffectual inclination to evacuate the bowels, caused by disorder of the rectum or other illness. countable, uncountable
"The general complaints of disease among us, were a dizziness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violent tenesmus, most of us having had no evacuation by stool since we left the ship."
- 2 painful spasm of the anal sphincter along with an urgent desire to defecate without the significant production of feces; associated with irritable bowel syndrome wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
More examples"The general complaints of disease among us, were a dizziness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violent tenesmus, most of us having had no evacuation by stool since we left the ship."
Etymology
Borrowing from Medieval Latin tēnesmus, from Ancient Greek τεινεσμός (teinesmós, “vain endeavor to evacuate”), from τείνω (teínō, “to stretch, to pull tight”) + -εσμός (-esmós, nominal suffix).