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scatology - 5 dictionary results

sca⋅tol⋅o⋅gy

  [skuh-tol-uh-jee]
Use scatology in a Sentence
–noun
1. the study of or preoccupation with excrement or obscenity.
2. obscenity, esp. words or humor referring to excrement.
3. the study of fossil excrement.
Also called coprology.

Origin:
1875–80; scato- + -logy

Related forms:
scat⋅o⋅log⋅i⋅cal  [skat-l-oj-i-kuhl] , scat⋅o⋅log⋅ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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sca·tol·o·gy   (skā-tŏl'ə-jē, skə-)   
n.   pl. sca·tol·o·gies
  1. The study of fecal excrement, as in medicine, paleontology, or biology.
    1. An obsession with excrement or excretory functions.
    2. The psychiatric study of such an obsession.
  3. Obscene language or literature, especially that dealing pruriently or humorously with excrement and excretory functions.
scat'o·log'i·cal (skāt'l-ŏj'ĭ-kəl), scat'o·log'ic (-ĭk) adj., sca·tol'o·gist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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scatology 
"obscene literature," 1876, from Gk. skat-, stem of skor (gen. skatos) "excrement" (from PIE base *sker- "to defecate") + -logy "treatise, study."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: sca·tol·o·gy
Pronunciation: ska-'täl-&-jE, sk&-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -gies
1 : interest in or treatment of obscene matters especially in literature
2 : the biologically oriented study of excrement (as for taxonomic purposes or for thedetermination of diet)
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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scatology sca·tol·o·gy (skā-tŏl'ə-jē, skə-)
n.

  1. The study and analysis of feces for physiological and diagnostic purposes. Also called coprology.
  2. An obsession with excrement or excretory functions.
  3. The psychiatric study of such an obsession.
scat'o·log'i·cal (skāt'l-ŏj'ĭ-kəl) or scat'o·log'ic (-ĭk) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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