Scatology
/skəˈtɑːlədʒi/noun
The study of feces or, more broadly, obscene and excremental humor.
Did you know?Scatology is built from Greek skōr, skat- meaning “dung,” a root that also survived in the medical term steatorrhea’s ancient body-language cousins, proving even filth can become scholarly.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
σκῶρ (skōr), gen. σκατός (skatos)
“dung, excrement”
Late Greek
Greek
σκατολογία (skatologia)
“talk about dung; coarse or obscene talk”
19th Century
English
scatology
“the study or discussion of excrement; obscene or filthy language”
Modern English
English
scatology
“the study of feces or obscene, excremental humor”
Explore more surprising origins