diarrhea

/ˌdaɪ.əˈɹiː.ə/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: diarrheas

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A gastrointestinal disorder characterized by frequent and very soft or watery bowel movements.

NounRegister: US

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The watery or very soft excrement that comes from such bowel movements.

NounRegister: US

Examples

My Pampers bill is higher than your paycheck, my hands are raw from washing them every six minutes, and I do eight loads of laundry a day because everything we own is covered in diarrhea, and you want me to "plug him up" and wait another three weeks?

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “diarrhea” mean?

A gastrointestinal disorder characterized by frequent and very soft or watery bowel movements.

Is “diarrhea” formal or informal?

diarrhea is generally US.