2. Psychology a. Of or relating to the second stage of psychosexual development in psychoanalytic theory, roughly from ages one to three, during which gratification is derived from sensations associated with the anus and defecation. The anal stage is preceded by the oral stage and followed by the phallic stage.
b. Indicating personality traits considered by psychoanalytic theory to originate during the anal stage of development, especially anal-retentive traits.