digestive tract

noun

: the tubular passage typically extending from the mouth to the anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus

called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract

Examples of digestive tract in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Supports Balanced Blood Sugar Levels The fermentation process used to make sourdough produces organic acids, such as lactic and acetic acids, which help slow the absorption of starch in the digestive tract. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 28 Jan. 2025

She’s been tested for Celiac disease, in which the gluten found in wheat, barley, rye, and other foods can trigger an intestine-damaging immune response, and Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune disease that causes swelling and severe inflammation in the digestive tract. —Julia Sullivan, SELF, 22 Jan. 2025

Sharp fragments may also cause injuries to the mouth, throat and digestive tract, leading to internal bleeding or infections. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025

Mango pits are a choking hazard to dogs and can become stuck in their digestive tract if consumed, the American Kennel Club reports. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

digestive tract

noun

: the tubular passage typically extending from mouth to anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus

called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract