small intestine

noun

: the narrow part of the intestine that lies between the stomach and colon, consists of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, secretes digestive enzymes, and is the chief site of the digestion of food into small molecules which are absorbed into the body

Examples of small intestine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For people with celiac disease, gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine. —Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026

That's because broccoli is high in fiber and contains raffinose, a sugar the body can’t fully digest in the small intestine. —Lindsey Desoto, Health, 6 Jan. 2026

These sugars don’t break down in the small intestine. —Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 26 Dec. 2025

Giardia duodenalis, meanwhile, is not a worm but a tiny organism that lives primarily inside the small intestine. —Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for small intestine

• clandestine
• progestin

Kids Definition

small intestine

noun

: the long narrow part of the intestine between the stomach and the colon in which food is mostly digested, from which digested food is absorbed into the body, and which consists of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

Medical Definition

small intestine

noun

: the part of the intestine that lies between the stomach and colon, consists of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, secretes digestive enzymes, and is the chief site of the absorption of digested nutrients

called also small bowel