large intestine

British  

noun

1. the part of the alimentary canal consisting of the caecum, colon, and rectum. It extracts moisture from food residues, which are later excreted as faeces Compare small intestine

---

large intestine Scientific  

1. The wide lower section of the intestine that extends from the end of the small intestine to the anus. The large intestine acts mainly to absorb water from digested materials and solidify feces. In most vertebrate animals, it includes the cecum, colon, and rectum.

---

large intestine Cultural  

1. The lower portion of the intestines, which receives a soupy mixture of digested food from the small intestine, reabsorbs most of the fluids, and then passes the resulting solid substance (feces) out of the body through the anus. The large intestine is divided into the cecum, colon, and rectum.

---

Example Sentences

Fermentable fibres in foods like oats and legumes help the good bacteria in our large intestine grow, enriching our gut microbiome.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

Surrounded by a set design inspired by one’s large intestine, she is an artist who pushes every boundary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

It relies on an endoscope, a camera-tipped flexible device that is carefully guided through the large intestine.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2025

Doctors said the pressure of the magnets had caused necrosis -- tissue death -- in four areas of the boy's small bowel and caecum, which is part of the large intestine.

From Barron's • Oct. 24, 2025

The procedure wasn't effective because the rectum and large intestine absorbed few nutrients from the mixture, not enough to sustain a man.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow