digester

American  

[dih-jes-ter, dahy-] / dɪˈdʒɛs tər, daɪ- /

noun

1. a person or thing that digests.

2. Chemistry. Also digestor an apparatus in which substances are softened or disintegrated by moisture, heat, chemical action, or the like.

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digester British  

/ dɪˈdʒɛstə, daɪ- /

noun

1. chem an apparatus or vessel, such as an autoclave, in which digestion is carried out

2. a less common word for digestant

3. a person or thing that digests

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Etymology

Origin of digester

First recorded in 1570–80; digest + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Instead, “that money went to this dairy digester program that does not benefit this area.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

And New York State requires large food businesses to donate excess edible food and recycle remaining scraps if they are within 25 miles of a composting facility or anaerobic digester.

From New York Times • Jun. 12, 2024

Jon Van Nieuwenhuyzen, Qualco Energy digester operator, board member and dairy farmer, explains that digesters are an important tool because they bring multiple wins for resources that connect us all.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 17, 2023

Early this year, the prospect of a new digester in Rock Valley, Iowa, was heralded as a sustainable solution for nearby farming communities in the northwest corner of the state.

From Salon • Nov. 5, 2022

Has soup prepared by dissolving meat bones in a Papin's digester ever been known to produce ossification of any of the soft tissues?

From Scientific American, Volume XXXVI., No. 8, February 24, 1877 A Weekly Journal of Practical Information, Art, Science, Mechanics, Chemistry, and Manufactures. by Various