digestive system

American  

noun

• digestive systems
  plural

1. the system by which ingested food is acted upon by physical and chemical means to provide the body with absorbable nutrients and to excrete waste products; in mammals the system includes the alimentary canal extending from the mouth to the anus, and the hormones and enzymes assisting in digestion.

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digestive system Scientific  

/ dī-jĕs′tĭv /

1. The alimentary canal together with the salivary glands, liver, pancreas, and other organs of digestion.

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digestive system Cultural  

1. The organs and glands in the body that are responsible for digestion. The digestive system begins with the mouth and extends through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, ending with the rectum and anus. Other organs in this system include the liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and appendix.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• digestive systems
  plural

Etymology

Origin of digestive system

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

digestive system

Even in a healthy digestive system, most oxalate from the diet passes through the body and is eliminated in stool.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

HSD can also cause gastrointestinal symptoms because the connective tissue within the digestive system is stretchier.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

She revealed in May that her “immune system and digestive system got all out of whack” in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

In the human digestive system, sweeteners may be absorbed, chemically altered, diluted, or broken down before reaching particular microbes.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

Years of drinking contaminated water had left Mawien Dut’s entire digestive system riddled with guinea worms.

From "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park