diarrhoea
2 synonyms and 1 antonym for diarrhoea, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A condition in which someone passes unusually frequent and watery bowel movements.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
the runs
the trots
Antonyms
How to use diarrhoea
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a bout of diarrhoea
diarrhoea and vomiting
severe diarrhoea
chronic diarrhoea
Diarrhoea is the standard British spelling; diarrhea is the American form of the same word.
Etymology
Diarrhoea traces back through Middle French and Late Latin to Ancient Greek, where it was built from a word for 'through' joined to a word for 'flow', giving the sense of something flowing straight through the body. The spelling was later reshaped to look more like its Latin and Greek ancestors.
Full origin of diarrhoea →Frequently asked questions
What is diarrhoea?
It is a condition in which bowel movements become frequent, loose and watery, and the word can also refer to the loose stools themselves.
Is diarrhoea spelled differently in American English?
Yes, the American spelling is diarrhea, while diarrhoea is the standard British spelling.
What is the opposite of diarrhoea?
Constipation, where bowel movements become infrequent or difficult, is generally treated as the opposite condition.
