Cacare
/kaˈkaː.re/noun
The Latin infinitive meaning “to defecate” or “to evacuate the bowels.”
Did you know?Latin cacāre belongs to an ancient expressive family of words for excrement, reflected in forms such as English cack and baby-talk caca.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European or Prehistoric Expressive Root
PIE
*kakkā-
“An imitative or expressive root associated with excrement; the reconstruction is debated in detail.”
Classical Latin
Latin
cacāre
“To defecate; to discharge feces.”
Late Latin
Latin
cacāre
“The same verb, continuing in popular and medical vocabulary.”
Old French and Medieval Romance
Romance
cacier / caca
“Forms associated with defecation or excrement, including child-directed vocabulary.”
Middle English
English
cacken / cakken
“To defecate; a vulgar verb related to the same expressive family.”
Modern English
English
cack / caca
“Vulgar or childish terms for feces or defecation, preserving the ancient sound-symbolic root.”