Meanings
plural retromingents
- obsoleteAn animal that urinates backwards, such as the camel, hippo or raccoon.
I confess by reason of the postick and backward position of the feminine parts in quadrupedes, they can hardly admit the substitution of a protrusion, effectuall unto masculine generation; except it be in Retromingents, and such as couple backward.
1646, Sir Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.17
comparative more retromingent · superlative most retromingent
- not comparableThat urinates backwards; also used of such urination.
"Additionally, camels are retromingent animals, and so spectators would be advised to beware not only of flying saliva but of pitched urine as well."
2006 April 17, Danny Baker, “When the spit hits the fan”, in The Times1 more example
It sat down at last and, as if to express once and for all its disenchantment with the whole sum of canine existence, delivered itself of a retromingent puddle on the beautiful Shiraz.
1958, Lawrence Durrell, Mountolive
Origin
- Latinmingō“to urinate”
- Englishretromingent
From retro- (“backwards”) + past participle of Latin mingō (“to urinate”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish taaksepäin virtsaava eläin, taaksepäin virtsaava
- taaksepäin virtsaava eläinanimal that urinates backwards
- taaksepäin virtsaavathat urinates backwards
Cite this entry
retromingent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent
“retromingent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “retromingent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent.
Source: retromingent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.