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rectum
rectum The final part of the intestinal tract, 4–5 inches long, continuing from the colon in the lower left part of the abdomen, and passing down through the pelvic cavity to the anus. It has a large tubular capacity for storing faeces pending voiding, but is flattened and empty between times. Like the rest of the intestines it has a muscular wall and a mucus-secreting lining. Rectal examination can be medically informative: the other organs in the pelvis can be felt through its walls by a gloved finger, allowing recognition, for example, of enlargement of the prostate gland or of the uterus.
Stuart Judge See alimentary system; defecation.alimentary system and urogenital system. |
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COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "rectum." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "rectum." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O128-rectum.html COLIN BLAKEMORE and SHELIA JENNETT. "rectum." The Oxford Companion to the Body. 2001. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O128-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum (rek-tŭm) n. the terminal part of the large intestine, which runs from the sigmoid colon to the anal canal. Faeces are stored in the rectum before defecation.
—rectal (rek-t'l) adj. |
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"rectum." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-rectum.html "rectum." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-rectum.html |
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rectum
rec·tum / ˈrektəm/ • n. (pl. -tums or -ta / -tə/ ) the final section of the large intestine, terminating at the anus. |
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"rectum." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rectum.html "rectum." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum The portion of the alimentary canal between the colon and the anus. Its main function is the storage of faeces prior to elimination.
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"rectum." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-rectum.html "rectum." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum In humans and many other vertebrates, last part of the large intestine, where the faeces are stored prior to voiding.
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"rectum." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-rectum.html "rectum." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum The part of the alimentary canal that is adjacent to the anus and in which faeces are stored prior to defecation.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "rectum." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "rectum." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-rectum.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "rectum." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum XVI. — L. rēctum, n. of rēctus straight.
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T. F. HOAD. "rectum." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "rectum." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rectum.html T. F. HOAD. "rectum." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum see intestine . |
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"rectum." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-rectum.html "rectum." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-rectum.html |
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rectum
rectum •hansom, ransom, Ransome, transom
•Wrexham • sensum • Epsom • jetsam
•lissom • winsome • gypsum • alyssum
•blossom, opossum, possum
•flotsam • awesome • balsam • Folsom
•noisome • twosome
•fulsome • buxom • Hilversum
•irksome • Gresham • meerschaum
•petersham • nasturtium
•atom, Euratom
•factum
•bantam, phantom
•sanctum
•desideratum, erratum, post-partum, stratum
•substratum • rectum • momentum
•septum
•datum, petrolatum, pomatum, Tatum, ultimatum
•arboretum • dictum • symptom
•ad infinitum
•bottom, rock-bottom
•quantum
•autumn, postmortem
•factotum, Gotham, scrotum, teetotum, totem
•sputum
•accustom, custom
•diatom • anthem • Bentham • Botham
•fathom • rhythm • biorhythm
•algorithm • logarithm • sempervivum
•ovum • William
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"rectum." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "rectum." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rectum.html "rectum." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-rectum.html |
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