large intestine

noun

: the more terminal division of the vertebrate intestine that is wider and shorter than the small intestine, typically divided into cecum, colon, and rectum, and concerned especially with the resorption of water and the formation of feces

Examples of large intestine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Infant botulism is caused by a bacterium that produces toxins in the large intestine. —CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

Artichokes contain prebiotic fibers, which fuel beneficial bacteria in your large intestine. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Nov. 2025

Based on analysis of more than 5.2 million adult hospitalizations, research led by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Vanderbilt University revealed a 52 percent increase in complicated cases of diverticulitis—an inflammation in the large intestine—from 2005 to 2020. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

Massage in a clockwise, circular pattern along the path of your large intestine. —Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for large intestine

• clandestine
• progestin

Kids Definition

large intestine

noun

: the last part of the intestine which is wider and shorter than the small intestine, which consists of the cecum, colon, and rectum, and which absorbs water from the material left over from digestion and prepares the feces for release from the body

Medical Definition

large intestine

noun

: the more terminal division of the vertebrate intestine that is wider and shorter than the small intestine, typically divided into cecum, colon, and rectum, and concerned especially with the resorption of water and the formation of feces