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

May Reduce Inflammation Pomegranate seeds, peel, or juice travel through the digestive tract and colon. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025

Fiber reduces cholesterol absorption in your digestive tract and increases its excretion through your stool. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 17 Oct. 2025

View gallery - 3 images When an ulcer creates an actual perforation in the digestive tract, surgery is currently the only treatment. —Ben Coxworth october 16, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025

Research shows that fiber enhances the diversity of your gut microbiome, the community of microbes that live in your digestive tract, helping decrease inflammation in your body, says Childress. —Julia Ries Wexler, Outside, 16 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