digestive system

noun

: the bodily system concerned with the ingestion, digestion, and absorption of food and the discharge of residual wastes and consisting of the digestive tract and accessory glands (such as the salivary glands and the pancreas) that secrete digestive enzymes

Examples of digestive system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is because as people age, appetite levels can become impaired because of changes in the digestive system, hormones, and energy levels. —Laura Schober, Health, 21 Aug. 2025

Bloating Salt can lead to fluid retention in your digestive system, which can cause bloating and discomfort. —Nancy Lebrun, Verywell Health, 19 Aug. 2025

Advertisement When there’s very limited access to food, the body flips into survival mode, first shutting down non-vital functions: the digestive system slows down, the reproductive system (ovaries and testes) may shrink, and growth and development stall. —Angela Haupt, Time, 31 July 2025

Additionally, foods that could pose choking hazards or cause blockages in a dog's digestive system—such as corn-on-the-cob, fruit rinds, pits, and apple cores—should be avoided. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1790, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for digestive system

• cryptosystem
• ecosystem
• intersystem
• multisystem
• photosystem
• subsystem

Kids Definition

digestive system

noun

: the bodily system concerned with the intake, breakdown, and absorption of food and the discharge of wastes and that includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, anus, and glands (as the salivary glands)

Medical Definition

digestive system

noun

: the bodily system concerned with the ingestion, digestion, and absorption of food and the discharge of residual wastes and consisting of the digestive tract and accessory glands (such as the salivary glands and the pancreas) that secrete digestive enzymes

called also alimentary system