small intestine

American  

noun

Anatomy.

• small intestines
  plural

1. intestine.

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small intestine British  

noun

1. the longest part of the alimentary canal, consisting of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, in which digestion is completed Compare large intestine

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small intestine Scientific  

1. The long, narrow, coiled section of the intestine that extends from the stomach to the beginning of the large intestine. Nutrients from food are absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine. In mammals, it is made up of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

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small intestine Cultural  

1. The upper portion of the intestines, extending from the stomach to the large intestine, where the digestion of food takes place. The small intestine is about twenty feet long in adults.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• small intestines
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of small intestine

First recorded in 1760–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

small intestine

Secondary lactose intolerance is when people develop lactose intolerance as a result of a condition such as Celiac disease, which damages the lining of the small intestine and reduces lactase production.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

The lactase enzyme is predominantly at the tip of the villi, or the small hairs in the small intestine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

When he finally woke up, in an intensive care unit in Oklahoma City, about 90 miles northeast of Comanche, he learned that surgeons had removed 13 inches of his small intestine during emergency surgery.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

The effect was largely limited to the small intestine because that is where most dietary protein is absorbed.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026

After that a piece of his small intestine had to go.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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