Origin and history of cloaca

"a deluge, a flood," originally especially "Noah's flood," 1630s, from French cataclysme (16c.), from Latin cataclysmos or directly from Greek kataklysmos "deluge, flood, inundation," from kataklyzein "to deluge," from kata "down" (see cata-) + klyzein "to wash," from PIE *kleue- "to wash, clean" (see cloaca).

"breed of heavy draught horses," 1786, so called because they were bred in the valley of the Clyde in Scotland. The river name is perhaps literally "cleansing," from a Celtic root akin to Latin cloaca (see cloaca).

"a medical enema," late 14c., from Old French clistre (13c., Modern French clystère) or directly from Latin clyster, from Greek klyster, from klyzein "to wash out" (see cloaca).