retromingent

R1E1T1R1O1M3I1N1G2E1N1T1
UK/ɹɛtɹə(ʊ)ˈmɪndʒənt/

noun

An animal that urinates backwards, such as the camel, hippo or raccoon.

Scrabble 15

Meanings

nounretromingent (plural retromingents)

plural retromingents

  1. 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
adjectiveretromingent (comparative more retromingent, superlative most retromingent)

comparative more retromingent · superlative most retromingent

  1. 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 Times
    1 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

  1. Latinmingō“to urinate”
  2. Englishretromingent

From retro- (“backwards”) + past participle of Latin mingō (“to urinate”).

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
APA

retromingent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent

MLA

“retromingent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “retromingent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/retromingent.

Source: retromingent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.