intestine
Americannoun
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intestines
plural
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Usually intestines. the lower part of the alimentary canal, extending from the pylorus to the anus.
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Also called small intestine. the narrow, longer part of the intestines, comprising the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, that serves to digest and absorb nutrients.
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Also called large intestine. the broad, shorter part of the intestines, comprising the cecum, colon, and rectum, that absorbs water from and eliminates the residues of digestion.
adjective
noun
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The muscular tube that forms the part of the digestive tract extending from the stomach to the anus and consisting of the small and large intestines. In the intestine, nutrients and water from digested food are absorbed and waste products are solidified into feces.
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See also large intestine small intestine
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of intestine
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin intestīnum, noun use of neuter of intestīnus “internal,” equivalent to intes- (variant of intus “inside”) + -tīnus adjective suffix; cf. vespertine
Explanation
When you eat food, it first passes into your stomach, and then into your intestine. Fun fact: your large intestine is about five feet long. Makes you wonder why they don't call it your "long intestine" instead. The human intestine is split into two sections: the small intestine and the large intestine. Your intestine's job is to continue breaking down the food you've eaten and absorb nutrients into your bloodstream. Intestine comes from the Latin word intestinum, "gut" or "bowels," which is the neuter form of the adjective intestinus, "inward" or "internal."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
However, new research from MIT points to a very different outcome in the small intestine, where the same type of diet may increase cancer risk.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
"Having more stem cells means that when you injure the small intestine, it can repair itself better, but the downside is that having more active stem cells can lead to tumor formation," Yilmaz says.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026
When he finally woke up, in an intensive care unit in Oklahoma City, about 90 miles northeast of Comanche, he learned that surgeons had removed 13 inches of his small intestine during emergency surgery.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
A last-minute check of an encyclopedia revealed that it also means part of the intestine, the thing poop moves through, so the “te” was dropped.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The tumor in the small intestine is harder to measure.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
The physical motion created while walking could also contribute by triggering reflexes that encourage the intestines to become more active.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 5, 2026
Normally, the gut barrier allows nutrients to pass into the body while helping prevent harmful bacteria from escaping the intestines.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026
The team also measured the activity of five genes in the liver and intestines.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 31, 2026
Baby Theo, who is now five months old and thriving, had gastroschisis, where the belly button does not develop properly, causing the intestines to grow externally.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
There’s an initial sense of impact followed by an explosion that resonates in my innermost parts, the lining of my intestines, the marrow of my bones, the roots of my teeth.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
