digestive system

American  

noun

1. the system by which ingested food is acted upon by physical and chemical means to provide the body with absorbable nutrients and to excrete waste products; in mammals the system includes the alimentary canal extending from the mouth to the anus, and the hormones and enzymes assisting in digestion.

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digestive system Scientific  

/ dī-jĕs′tĭv /

1. The alimentary canal together with the salivary glands, liver, pancreas, and other organs of digestion.

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digestive system Cultural  

1. The organs and glands in the body that are responsible for digestion. The digestive system begins with the mouth and extends through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, ending with the rectum and anus. Other organs in this system include the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and appendix.

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Etymology

Origin of digestive system

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

David Reid from Ballymena has Crohn's Disease - a condition where parts of the digestive system become inflamed.

From BBC

The technique takes advantage of the fact that SARS-CoV-2 replicates in the digestive system and is shed in high quantities, often before symptoms appear.

From Science Magazine

You might not like it, you might choose to not eat dairy foods, or you might find that milk doesn’t agree with your digestive system.

From Seattle Times

Snell has gastroenteritis, an infection and inflammation in the digestive system.

From Seattle Times

“You want gravity to work for you to help push food down into your digestive system,” she says.

From Washington Post