Main Entry: in·tes·tine

Pronunciation: \in-ˈtes-tən\

Function: noun

: the tubular portion of the alimentary canal that lies posterior to the stomach from which it is separated by the pyloric sphincter and consists of a slender but long anterior part made up of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum which function in digestion and assimilation of nutrients and a broader shorter posterior part made up of the cecum, colon, and rectum which serve chiefly to extract moisture from the by-products of digestion and evaporate them into feces—often used in plural <the movement of digested food through your intestines—Mayo Clinic Health Letter>; see large intestine, small intestine