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Glite Dictionary
sphincter ani

sphincter ani

9.9
A ring of muscle around the anus that controls passing stool
  • noun
  • /ˈsfɪŋktər ˈɑːnaɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : esfínter anal
  • The sphincter ani is crucial for controlling bowel movements.

Examples

  • Weakness in the sphincter ani can lead to issues with incontinence.

  • Both the vagina and sphincter ani had been ruptured, and there was a fistulous opening between them.

    Academic text (2004)

  • Doctors may examine the sphincter ani to check for any signs of health issues.

Synonyms

anal sphincter
vssphincter ani
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A ring of muscle around the anus that controls when you pass stool

is the same in meaning but differs only in the name form
musculus sphincter ani
vssphincter ani
  • Specialized
7.9

A ring of muscle around the anus that controls bowel movements

focuses on the ring shape and control of the opening

Surface Forms

sphincter ani singular
sphincter anis plural

Morphology

sphincter + ani

The headword 'sphincter' clearly denotes a muscle that closes an opening, and combined with 'ani' (the Latin/genitive form referring to the anus) the phrase literally names the ring muscle controlling the anus, so the semantic components do map onto the defined meaning. However, 'ani' is an uncommon Latin anatomical form not known to average B1 learners and this naming relies on medical/Latin knowledge, so the relation is only partially accessible without specialist vocabulary.

Etymology

Sphincter ani is a medical name for the ring muscle around the 'anus'. The word sphincter means 'tightener' and ani means 'of the anus', so it literally names the muscle that tightens to open and close the passage and thus controls bowel movements.