cloaca noun. [klǝʊ'eɪkǝ] Pl. -cae [-si:, -ki:], -cas. L16.
[Latin cloaca, cluaca rel. to cluere cleanse.]
1. An underground conduit for drainage, a sewer. Also, a water-closet. L16.
fig.:
■ Carlyle That tremendous Cloaca of Pauperism.

2. Zoology. A common cavity for the release of digestive and urogenital products in birds, reptiles, amphibians, most fish, and monotremes. M19.

■ cloacal adjective M17.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲