small intestine

American  

noun

Anatomy.

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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Etymology

Origin of small intestine

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Explaining how it works, Ghosh said small electrodes placed on the abdomen detected the activity of the muscle of the small intestine.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

But he was saved by three major surgeries in which most of his small intestine was removed.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

"I think we're going to uncover multiple new mechanisms for how these amino acids regulate cell fate decisions and gut health in the small intestine and colon," Yilmaz says.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2025

A new study from MIT suggests that eating foods rich in the amino acid cysteine could help the small intestine renew and repair itself.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2025

There she found a ring of bleeding spots at the junction between the stomach and the small intestine.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston