Etymograph

English

fecal

Fecal comes from Middle French fecal, and goes back to Latin faex ‘sediment, dregs’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaex‘sediment, dregs’
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600fecal
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1973same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaex‘sediment, dregs’
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600fecal
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1973same form

Earliest quotation: 1973, Water Resources Research Catalog - Volum, Issue 1: “Differential biochemical or physiological characteristics which correlate with aerogenesis…”

Formed from feces + -al

Latin faecēs

English feces

Linked words

through Latin faex ‘sediment, dregs’

feces, defecation, 4 more

Today it means

adj Of or relating to feces.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin faex / fecal

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