Definition of digestion
: the action, process, or power of digesting: such asa : the process of making food absorbable by dissolving it and breaking it down into simpler chemical compounds that occurs in the living body chiefly through the action of enzymes secreted into the digestive tractb : the process in sewage treatment by which organic matter in sludge is decomposed by anaerobic bacteria with the release of a burnable mixture of gases
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Examples of digestion in a Sentence
an enzyme that aids in the digestion of protein
She began to suffer from poor digestion as she grew older.
Recent Examples of digestion from the Web
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The compostables, which often arrive in plastic bags, are then separated from contaminants before being transported to a composting site or an anaerobic digestion facility, ideally no more than 100 miles away.
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Another series of ads claimed that smoking improved digestion.
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Without gut bacteria, our digestion would be impaired, but not catastrophically so.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'digestion'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
14th Century
First Known Use of digestion
14th century
DIGESTION Defined for English Language Learners
digestion
playDefinition of digestion for English Language Learners
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: the process by which food is changed to a simpler form after it is eaten
DIGESTION Defined for Kids
digestion
playDefinition of digestion for Students
: the body's process or power of changing food into simpler forms that can be taken up and used
Medical Dictionary
digestion
playMedical Definition of digestion
: the action, process, or power of digesting; especially : the process of making food absorbable by mechanically and enzymatically breaking it down into simpler chemical compounds in the digestive tract
Learn More about digestion
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See words that rhyme with digestion Spanish Central: Translation of digestion Nglish: Translation of digestion for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of digestion for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about digestion
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