urine

urine — noun

1. The liquid body waste produced by the kidneys, stored inside the bladder, and ex

1.nounB2
Definition

The liquid body waste produced by the kidneys, stored inside the bladder, and expelled from the body through the urethra. Urine is typically a clear, pale yellow fluid made up mostly of water with dissolved waste matter.

Example

Tanvi{\u2019}s doctor ordered a urine test to check for signs of infection.

collocation: urine test

Élise noticed that her urine was darker than usual and decided to drink more water.

adjective + urine: darker urine

Common collocations
  • urine test
  • urine sample
  • urine output
  • urine analysis
  • dark urine
  • clear urine
  • urine infection
  • produce urine
  • pass urine
Synonyms
  • pee

    informal; the most common everyday alternative, suitable for most casual contexts

  • wee

    informal, chiefly British; often used with children or as a polite euphemism

  • piss

    vulgar slang; considered impolite and offensive in most social situations

Grammar Patterns

uncountable noun

Usage Note

\u2018Urine\u2019 is the standard clinical and neutral term for this body fluid. In casual conversation, native speakers often use euphemisms such as \u2018pee\u2019 (informal), \u2018wee\u2019 (informal, especially British English), or \u2018piss\u2019 (vulgar). Use \u2018urine\u2019 in medical, scientific, or formal writing; in everyday speech with friends or family, \u2018pee\u2019 is more natural.

Common Mistakes

\u2018Please give me a urine.\u2019
\u2018Please give me a urine sample.\u2019 \u2014 Urine is uncountable; you cannot say \u2018a urine\u2019. Use \u2018a urine sample\u2019 or \u2018some urine\u2019.
\u2018I need to urine.\u2019
\u2018I need to urinate.\u2019 or \u2018I need to pee.\u2019 \u2014 \u2018Urine\u2019 is a noun (the liquid), not a verb. The verb form is \u2018urinate\u2019.

Word family

  • urinate
    verbB2
  • urination
    nounB2
  • urinary
    adjectiveB2
  • urinal
    nounB2
  • diuretic
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to the same liquid body waste, but they differ sharply in register. 'Urine' is the neutral, clinical term used in medical reports, biology textbooks, and formal writing. 'Pee' is the most common informal alternative in both British and American English \u2014 polite enough for most casual conversation but not suitable for formal documents. 'Wee' is a milder, more child-friendly euphemism used primarily in British English (\u2018I need a wee\u2019). 'Piss' is vulgar slang and should be avoided in any polite or professional setting; it appears in informal speech among close friends or in strong language. Choosing the right word depends entirely on context: use 'urine' at the doctor\u2019s office, 'pee' at home with friends, and 'wee' when speaking with young children.

urine ↗peeweepiss ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • urine test
  • urine sample
  • urine output
  • pass urine
  • produce urine

Prepositions

  • in the urine
  • from the urine

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanLatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin \u2018urina\u2019 (urine), from Proto-Indo-European *\u02d0ur- meaning \u2018to flow\u2019 or \u2018water\u2019. Related to Sanskrit \u2018v\u0101ri\u2019 (water) and Greek \u2018\u00faron\u2019 (urine), which also gave us the medical prefix \u2018ur-\u2019 and words like \u2018urinate\u2019, \u2018urinary\u2019, and \u2018diuretic\u2019.