stoollike

Stoollike is an adjective used to describe something that resembles stool in appearance, texture, or form. The term is primarily descriptive and informal; it is not a technical designation in most scientific disciplines, but is encountered in general writing, archaeology, paleontology, and design to communicate resemblance to fecal matter.

Etymology: It is formed from stool, meaning feces, with the suffix -like, meaning “resembling.”

Usage: In descriptive prose, stoollike conveys characteristics such as brown color, soft or cylindrical texture, and a lumped, rounded shape. In paleontology and archaeology, stoollike is commonly used to describe coprolites, or fossilized feces, when the specimen’s shape or texture evokes stool and may indicate a digestive origin. In art, architecture, and product design, stoollike forms refer to rounded, bulky shapes that resemble stools.

Limitations: Because it is non-technical and metaphorical, stoollike should be used judiciously. For precision, writers may substitute more specific descriptors (for example, coprolitic for fossilized feces, or anatomical/shape terms such as cylindrical, irregular, or segmented) depending on context.

See also: stool, coprolite, feces, morphology.