digestive tract

noun

Definition of digestive tract

: 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

Colic is generally thought to be caused by a combination of several factors, such as a gastrointestinal disturbance and a still-developing digestive tract, but the exact cause isn't well understood, Dr. Kyvelos says. — Kimberly Truong, SELF, "Hilary Duff Reveals Her Daughter Has Colic—and Asks for Help on Instagram," 4 Jan. 2019 This umbrella term describes disorders involving chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the Mayo Clinic explains. — Sophie Saint Thomas, SELF, "What to Know About Anal Sex if You Have a GI Issue," 28 Sep. 2018 It's made up of the simplest sugars on the planet, allowing it to immediately enter your digestive tract and be absorbed by the cells of your bloodstream. — Jaclyn London, Ms, Rd, Cdn, Good Housekeeping, ""No Added Sugar" Is B.S. — Here's Why," 3 Apr. 2017 In your digestive tract, those invisible ecosystems play important roles not only in digestion but also in the immune system and the endocrine system, influencing the hormones that help regulate bodily functions. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Mammals inherit most of their gut bacteria, new study suggests," 26 Oct. 2018 Insoluble fiber is also unable to absorb or retain water in the digestive tract, which can result in irregular bowel movements of varying types. — SELF, "Why This Registered Dietitian Tells (Some of) Her Patients to Avoid Kale Salads," 30 Nov. 2018 There are no teeth inside the digestive tract past the mouth. — Joe Graedonteresa Graedon, The Seattle Times, "Food go down the wrong tube? Try sipping cola," 28 Nov. 2018 There have been prior studies examining the passage of coins through the digestive tract, notably a 1971 paper that found most coins passed through harmlessly within three to six days. — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Six people swallowed LEGOs and pored through their own poo for science," 24 Nov. 2018 Colitis is a disease which causes inflammation in the digestive tract. — Sasha Savitsky, Fox News, "'Hell's Kitchen' contestant Jessica Vogel dead at 34," 1 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'digestive tract.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Jun 2019

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The first known use of digestive tract was in 1842

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More Definitions for digestive tract

digestive tract

noun

Kids Definition of digestive tract

: the tube-shaped passage including the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and intestines that is concerned with taking in, breaking down, and absorbing food and discharging solid waste

digestive tract

noun

Medical Definition of digestive tract

: 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