digestive tract

noun

: the tubular passage typically extending from the mouth to the anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus

called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract

Examples of digestive tract in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cysteine's effects were noted more in the small intestine than any other part of the digestive tract, likely because the small intestine is where most protein is absorbed, the researchers noted. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025

The gut microbiome is the community of microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that live in your digestive tract and influence other areas of your health. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 14 Oct. 2025

Cologuard checks for blood or abnormal DNA in the entire digestive tract, Gunaratnam said. —Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025

Beta-glucan forms a gel-like substance in your digestive tract, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates. —Brianna Tobritzhofer, Health, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for digestive tract

• abstract
• attacked
• attract
• contact
• contract
• detract
• distract
• enact
• exact
• extract
• hijacked
• impact

Medical Definition

digestive tract

noun

: the tubular passage typically extending from mouth to anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus

called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract