anus

Forms

anus m (invariable)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin ānus (“ring, anus”), a learned borrowing,^{[2][3][4][1][5]} of a word whose first meaning was “ring” and which was specialised in anatomy for the opening of the rectum.^[2][3][4] A diminutive of the same Latin word gave anneau.^[2] Rey notes that it can only be compared with Old Irish ánne (“ring”), if that is not itself taken from Latin.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in 1314 in the Chirurgie of Henri de Mondeville, for the opening of the rectum.^[6][2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word stayed a learned term of anatomy and medicine.^[2] It had some extended uses, for instance in describing molluscs (1834), most of which have gone;^[2] Littré gives a sense in conchology, a hollow in front of the top of a bivalve shell.^[7][8] Bescherelle (1845) used it in botany for the rear opening of some flowers.^[8] Surgery has anus artificiel.^[6][9]

Its adjective anal is recorded in 1805 (nageoire anale, Cuvier) and in the general sense in 1821; psychoanalysis gave it a special sense in 1914, as in stade anal.^[2]

Timeline

• 1314 – Henri de Mondeville's Chirurgie has the word.^[6][3][2]
• 16th century – Paré uses it among the warm and moist parts of the body.^[7]
• 1805 – The adjective anal appears in Cuvier.^[2]
• 1834 – Used of molluscs.^[2]
• 1914 – Anal takes its psychoanalytic sense.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. (anatomy) The opening at the end of the rectum, through which faeces leave the body; the anus.^[9][8][6]
2. (surgery) Anus artificiel: an opening made in the intestine and joined to the skin of the abdomen, a colostomy.^[9][6]

Word family

• anal

Related words

• anneau
• Latin ānus

Usage notes

The noun is invariable in the plural.^[1] The s is pronounced.^[7][1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 24, 665b
6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert