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

Additionally, beetroot juice contains nitrates and antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation in the digestive tract, supporting overall gastrointestinal function.5 6. —Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2025

Chronic inflammation: Ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract can lead to body-wide (systemic) inflammation that can affect the joints and cause arthritis. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 2 Aug. 2025

Be sure to drink plenty of water, too — if fiber doesn’t have any water to bring with it into your digestive tract, that can cause more bloating, gas and constipation due to dry stools, sources said. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 26 July 2025

That means it can be fitted to oral medications meant for long-term drug delivery in your digestive tract, and even to aquatic robots for underwater research. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 25 July 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