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

Along with the symptoms and the results of lab tests, finding changes in the digestive tract during an endoscopy points toward an IBD diagnosis. —Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 16 Apr. 2025

Diverticulosis is inflammation or infection in the digestive tract. —Luke Garrett, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025

People of Color Are Diagnosed With IBD at More Than 3 Times the Rate of White Americans IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, causes inflammation in the digestive tract, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. —Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Small pieces of metal could be a choking hazard, damage the digestive tract when swallowed or damage teeth when chewed. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 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