Definition of "meconium" []

• A dark green fecal material that accumulates in the fetal intestines and is discharged at or near the time of birth. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Sometimes the meconium can become impacted within the rectum or small colon of foals -- thus, the term meconium impaction."
• "However, newborn infants produce this stuff called meconium which is like fecal tar."
• "The belief is that suctioning prevents the baby from inhaling meconium, thereby preventing breathing problems or a rare type of pneumonia called meconium aspiration syndrome."