specifically: of or relating to the internal affairs of a state or country
intestine war
Did you know?
We bet you thought intestine was a noun referring to a part of the digestive system! It is, of course, but naming that internal body part isn't the word's only function. Both the noun and the adjective intestine have been a part of English since the 15th century, and both trace to the Latin adjective intestinus, meaning "internal," and ultimately to intus, meaning "within." Though the adjective intestine turns up much less frequently than does its anatomical cousin, it does see occasional use, especially as a synonym for civil and domestic (in contrast to foreign) applied to wars and disturbances.
Examples of intestine in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Luckily, hydrolyzed collagen peptides—which are derived from bovine or marine sources and readily available in powder or capsule form—are easily absorbed in the intestine.—Lorena Meouchi, Vogue, 12 June 2024 When Listeria stays in your intestines, symptoms start within 24 hours and usually last one to three days, according to the CDC.—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 6 Feb. 2024 Within a week, almost all the E. coli bacteria in their intestines were tetracycline-resistant.—Melinda Wenner Moyer, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2016 This way, the capsule can travel to the intestine intact.—Elizabeth Pratt, Health, 26 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for intestine
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intestine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Middle French intestin, from Latin intestinum, from neuter of intestinus
Adjective
Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French intestin, from Latin intestinus, from intus within — more at ent-
: the part of the alimentary canal that is a long tube composed of the small intestine and the large intestine, that extends from the stomach to the anus, that helps to digest food and absorb nutrients and water, and that carries waste matter to be discharged
: the tubular portion of the digestive tract that lies posterior to the stomach from which it is separated by the pyloric sphincter and consists of a slender but long anterior part made up of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum which function in digestion and assimilation of nutrients and a broader shorter posterior part made up of the cecum, colon, and rectum which function in resorption of water from the by-products of digestion and formation of the feces—often used in plural
the movement of digested food through your intestines—Mayo Clinic Health Letter
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