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

But foods with high FODMAPs include short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed by the small intestine, which can cause issues for people with IBS. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Nov. 2025

This can in turn move food out of the stomach and into the small intestine more efficiently. —Bryn Beeder, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025

Ruling Out Medical Causes Violet, from Ontario, Canada, was tested for celiac disease (CD), a lifelong autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine is hypersensitive to gluten, interfering with nutrient absorption and sometimes affecting growth. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025

Why Some Foods Block Magnesium Absorption Magnesium is primarily absorbed in your small intestine. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 3 Nov. 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