continence

Continence refers to self control. It’s the ability to hold it all in.

The word continence come from the Latin continentia which means "a holding back.” It hasn’t changed much — continence means holding back bodily functions. It’s often used in the negative, incontinence, which describes a situation you get into with babies or sick people, where they can’t control their bowels. In another sense, continence is a little like abstinence, but while abstinence is refraining from sex, usually for a religious reason, continence refers to the ability to do so.

Definitions of continence

1. noun

   voluntary control over urinary and fecal discharge
   type of:

   control, restraint

   discipline in personal and social activities
2. noun

   the exercise of self constraint in sexual matters
   synonyms: continency

   type of:

   self-denial, self-discipline

   the trait of practicing self discipline