cloacae Hear it!

Variant of cloaca

cloaca Definition

cloa·ca (klō ā)

noun pl. cloacae -·cae′ (-sē′, -kē′) or cloacas -·cas

  1. a sewer or cesspool
  2. Zool.
    1. the cavity into which both the intestinal and the genitourinary tracts empty in reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes
    2. in some invertebrates, a similar cavity serving as an excretory, respiratory, and reproductive duct

Etymology: L < cluere, to cleanse < IE base *lū-, to rinse, clean > Gr klyzein, to wash, Ger lauter, pure

Related Forms:

  • cloacal cloa′·cal (-kəl) adjective
cloacae Usage Examples

Noun used with modifier

  • enterobacter: Dexamethasone A steroid drug Enterobacter cloacae An organism that is normally found in the digestive tract.

Browse dictionary entries near cloacae

  1. cloaca
  2. CLNP
  3. CLN
  4. clk
  5. clivia
  6. Clive
  7. clitorises
  8. clitoris
  9. clitorides
  10. clitoridectomy
  1. cloacal
  2. cloacas
  3. cloak
  4. cloak-and-dagger
  5. cloakroom
  6. clobber
  7. clochard
  8. cloche
  9. clock
  10. clock radio