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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Estrogen and progesterone also influence muscle tone, including in the digestive tract. Cathy Nelson, Health, 29 Apr. 2026 More than two months later, three of the babies are home, but the fourth — little Arya — remains at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi following surgery to correct a blockage in her digestive tract. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 As gut health becomes a growing focus in the wellness world, experts point to the microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in the digestive tract — as a key player in everything from digestion to immunity. Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Like so many in her field, The Ohio State University oncologist Ning Jin is alarmed by the number of patients in their 30s and 40s with late-stage cancer in their lower digestive tract. Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for digestive tract

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of digestive tract was in 1842

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Cite this Entry

“Digestive tract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/digestive%20tract. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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

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