anal
/ˈeɪ̯nəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.94 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of, related to, intended for or involving the anus.
adj
Of the stage in psychosexual development when the child's interest is alleged to be concentrated on the anal region.
adj
Of a person, compulsive and stubborn, obsessed with neatness and accuracy (usually in an egosyntonic way), supposedly from not having progressed beyond the anal stage.
Informal
Example Sentences
- "anal thermometer"
- "an anal examination"
- "anal sex"
- "Please don't touch his furniture, as he can get very anal about things like that."
- "He was a model of anal defensiveness: fastidious in his dress and appearance, a collector and putter of things in order, a classifier and labeler."
- "This questionnaire goes into the most ridiculous amount of detail. It's totally anal."
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin ānālis. By surface analysis, anus + -al. Psychological sense shortened from anal-retentive.
Usage
Inflected Forms
more anal (comparative)
most anal (superlative)
anals (plural)
anals (present, singular)
analing (US, participle)
analling (UK, participle)
analed (US, participle)
analed (US, past)
analled (UK, participle)
analled (UK, past)
Anāl (alternative)