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

Certain microbes living in the digestive system can send proteins straight into human cells, actively influencing how the immune system behaves.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

Tom Daley's side-eye, Celie Imrie's noisy digestive system, Paloma Faith's early murder, Kate Garraway's theatrics, Joe Marler's "big dog" theory and Jonathan Ross's rousing exit speech all contributed to a memorable series.

From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025

The other was the vagus nerve, a key communication route between the brain and internal organs such as the lungs and digestive system.

From Science Daily • Dec. 18, 2025

It can involve the brain, heart, lungs and digestive system.

From Science Daily • Dec. 14, 2025

Mr. Levy straightened his newspaper and realized again that, were his digestive system able to take it, he should have given his time to supervising Levy Pants.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole