call of nature

noun phrase

: the need to urinate or defecate

Examples of call of nature in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Stopping along the side of a road for a call of nature doesn’t turn out so well for the dudes in the prologue. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of call of nature was in 1747

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Cite this Entry

“Call of nature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/call%20of%20nature. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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