stool

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a seat usually without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central pedestal
b
: a low bench or portable support for the feet or knees : footstool
2
: a seat used as a symbol of office or authority
also : the rank, dignity, office, or rule of a chieftain
3
a
: a discharge of fecal matter
b
: a seat used while defecating or urinating
4
a
: a stump or group of stumps of a tree especially when producing suckers
b
: a plant crown from which shoots grow out
c
: a shoot or growth from a stool
5

stool

2 of 2

verb

stooled; stooling; stools

intransitive verb

: to throw out shoots in the manner of a stool

Examples of stool in a Sentence

Noun She sat on a stool. The patient had bloody stools.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Industrial elements like metal stools, lantern pendant fixtures, and open shelving mingle with the room's traditional design. Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2025 Such lofty aspirations, though, feel eons away from the comfortable perch of a Passyunk Avenue bar stool this week, days before the Philadelphia Eagles march into a championship rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs. Ali Watkins, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
Gummy stools and brash takes from chatty strangers. Ali Watkins, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025 An Urban Electric pendant light hangs above the island and the Thomas Hayes Studio stools. Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for stool 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English stōl; akin to Old High German stuol chair, Old Church Slavic stolŭ seat, throne

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stool was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near stool

Cite this Entry

“Stool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stool. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

stool

noun
ˈstül
1
a
: a seat without back or arms supported by three or four legs or by a central post
b
2
a
: a seat used while urinating or having a bowel movement
b
: a mass of bodily waste discharged from the intestine in a bowel movement

Medical Definition

stool

noun
: a discharge of fecal matter
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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