digestion

[dih-jes-chuhn, dahy-]

noun

1. the process in the alimentary canal by which food is broken up physically, as by the action of the teeth, and chemically, as by the action of enzymes, and converted into a substance suitable for absorption and assimilation into the body.

2. the function or power of digesting food.

   My digestion is bad.

3. the act of digesting or the state of being digested.

digestion

/ dɪˈdʒɛstʃən, daɪ- /

noun

1. the act or process in living organisms of breaking down ingested food material into easily absorbed and assimilated substances by the action of enzymes and other agents

2. mental assimilation, esp of ideas

3. bacteriol the decomposition of sewage by the action of bacteria

4. chem the treatment of material with heat, solvents, chemicals, etc, to cause softening or decomposition

digestion

1. The process by which food is broken down into simple chemical compounds that can be absorbed and used as nutrients or eliminated by the body. In most animals, nutrients are obtained from food by the action of digestive enzymes. In humans and other higher vertebrates, digestion takes place mainly in the small intestine. In protists and some invertebrates, digestion occurs by phagocytosis.

2. The decomposition of organic material, such as sewage, by bacteria.

digestion

1. The breaking down of food, which is made up of complex organic molecules (see also organic molecule), into smaller molecules that the body can absorb and use for maintenance and growth.

Other Word Forms

• digestional adjective
• nondigestion noun
• redigestion noun
• self-digestion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of digestion¹

1350–1400; Middle English digestioun < Anglo-French, Middle French < Latin dīgestiōn- (stem of dīgestiō ), equivalent to dīgest ( us ) ( digest ) + -iōn- -ion

Word History and Origins

Origin of digestion¹

C14: from Old French, from Latin digestiō a dissolving, digestion

Example Sentences

They also used microwave-assisted acid digestion to simulate how chemicals might be released when toys come into contact with a child's saliva.

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Whether it’s a group stroll, touch football game on the lawn, quick bike ride, run, or impromptu dancing to “Shake It Off,” moving your body aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, eases tension and promotes relaxation.

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This included alternative uses for the site such as hydrothermal plastics recycling and anaerobic digestion.

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The team previously designed bacteria that emit light when they encounter heme, but the early versions broke down during digestion and were difficult to retrieve afterward.

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Removing the chitin synthase gene resulted in a thinner cell wall, which made the internal protein more accessible for digestion.

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Related Words

• absorption 
• metabolism