digestive tract

American  

[dahy-jes-tiv trakt, di-jes-tiv] / daɪˈdʒɛs tɪv ˌtrækt, dɪˈdʒɛs tɪv /

noun

digestive tracts plural

1. all the parts or organs of the body through which food passes during digestion, from the point where food is taken in to the point where waste is eliminated.

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digestive tract Scientific  

1. The series of organs in the digestive system through which food passes, nutrients are absorbed, and waste is eliminated. In higher vertebrates, it consists of the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, rectum, and anus.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• digestive-tract
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• digestive tracts
  plural

Example Sentences

Researchers also detected weaker responses to GLP-1 in both the pancreas and digestive tract of these mice.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

“Inadequate nutrition, particularly vitamin A deficiency, can impair the lining of the digestive tract, predisposing birds to inflammation and secondary illness.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Allen had a test run on her infant’s gut microbiome—the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that inhabit the digestive tract.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

BBC science broadcaster Caroline Steel describes the gut as the entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

It may be absorbed through the skin, may be breathed in as a spray or dust, and of course is absorbed from the digestive tract if residues are swallowed.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson