adj

anal

AY-nuhl

adj

Relating to or involving the anus.

"The doctor examined the anal area for signs of irritation."

Excessively focused on neatness, order, or small details; fussy and controlling (informal, short for "anal-retentive").

"He’s so anal about his desk that he lines up his pens by colour."

"She got anal about the seating chart for the wedding."

How to Use Anal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither "related to the anus," or informally, "obsessively fussy about details."

When to use it

The "fussy" sense is informal and can sound blunt or slightly rude — use with care in professional settings.

more anal comparative, analed past tense, analled past tense, anals plural, Anals plural, anals singular, most anal superlative

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The doctor examined the _____ area for signs of irritation.

From Latin analis, from anus. The personality sense is shortened from the Freudian term "anal-retentive."

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