noun
incontinence
in-KAHN-tih-nuns/ɪnˈkɑːntɪnəns/
Inability to restrain an involuntary urge or release.
The man's incontinence causes an involuntary leak before he reaches the toilet.
Etymology
Latin incontinentia named an inability to contain or restrain. English first applied the word chiefly to sexual self-restraint, then extended it to the inability to restrain bodily functions.
In context
… I had a woman come in who had some incontinence as she was trying to make it to the bathroom …
More examples
- Urinary incontinence can cause leaks when you cough or sneeze.
- Bowel incontinence makes it difficult to control the release of stool.
- He wears absorbent pads at night because of his incontinence.
Forms
incontinent adjective — Unable to control bladder or bowel movements.
Similar words
- leakage
- Describes escaping fluid, not necessarily loss of bodily control.
- bedwetting
- Specifically means involuntary urination during sleep, rather than anytime.