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

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

The discovery raises the possibility that future treatments could focus on strengthening communication between the digestive system and the brain.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

Published in Nature Communications, the research examined the vagus nerve, one of the body's main communication routes between the digestive system and the brain.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026

Mr. Levy straightened his newspaper and realized again that, were his digestive system able to take it, he should have given his time to supervising Levy Pants.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole