1. Plural of cloaca; a common chamber in birds, reptiles, and amphibians into which the intestinal, urinary, and reproductive tracts empty.
Usage: biology, zoology
2. Plural of cloaca; a sewer or drain, especially in ancient Rome.
Usage: historical, archaic

Examples

• Birds have cloacas instead of separate urinary and reproductive openings.
• The cloacas of reptiles serve multiple physiological functions.
• Ancient Roman cloacas were engineering marvels that managed waste disposal.
• In amphibians, the cloacas connect the digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
• The Cloaca Maxima was one of the most famous cloacas of ancient Rome.