digestive tract
noun
: the tubular passage typically extending from the mouth to the anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus
called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In theory, this process could carry liquid or solid medications directly to specific locations in a body—possibly in the digestive tract, for example. 
Fionna M. D. Samuels, Scientific American, 14 June 2022 According to McGill University, saltwater fish consume water not only through osmosis, but also purposefully drink water to have some go through the digestive tract. Evan Hecht, USA TODAY, 26 July 2022 For now, Monteza is keen on another explanation that doesn’t necessarily require a trip through a digestive tract. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2022 However, the live bacteria in feces have proven their worth in treating diseases and ailments of the digestive tract. Wired, 9 July 2022 Unlike ulcerative colitis, a form of IBD that affects the colon, Crohn’s can cause inflammation along any part of the digestive tract, as well as problems with the eyes, skin, joints, and bones. Isabella Cueto, STAT, 8 July 2022 That's especially intriguing because elsewhere in the body the neural crest forms an astonishing variety of tissues: from the pigment cells in our skin to the nerve cells that control our digestive tract to the cells of our heart valve. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022 That commonly happens when stool moves too quickly through the digestive tract, as Merck Manuals explains, or when your stool is diluted by excess water secreted by the intestines. Korin Miller, SELF, 18 May 2022 Proteins generally don't survive a trip through the digestive tract or cross over into the bloodstream. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2022 See More
Fionna M. D. Samuels, Scientific American, 14 June 2022 According to McGill University, saltwater fish consume water not only through osmosis, but also purposefully drink water to have some go through the digestive tract. Evan Hecht, USA TODAY, 26 July 2022 For now, Monteza is keen on another explanation that doesn’t necessarily require a trip through a digestive tract. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2022 However, the live bacteria in feces have proven their worth in treating diseases and ailments of the digestive tract. Wired, 9 July 2022 Unlike ulcerative colitis, a form of IBD that affects the colon, Crohn’s can cause inflammation along any part of the digestive tract, as well as problems with the eyes, skin, joints, and bones. Isabella Cueto, STAT, 8 July 2022 That's especially intriguing because elsewhere in the body the neural crest forms an astonishing variety of tissues: from the pigment cells in our skin to the nerve cells that control our digestive tract to the cells of our heart valve. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 7 July 2022 That commonly happens when stool moves too quickly through the digestive tract, as Merck Manuals explains, or when your stool is diluted by excess water secreted by the intestines. Korin Miller, SELF, 18 May 2022 Proteins generally don't survive a trip through the digestive tract or cross over into the bloodstream. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1842, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
digestive tract
noun
: the tube-shaped passage including the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and intestines that is concerned with taking in, breaking down, and absorbing food and discharging solid waste
Medical Definition
digestive tract
noun
: the tubular passage typically extending from mouth to anus or cloaca that functions in digestion and absorption of food and elimination of residual waste and that in most mammals includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestine, and anus
called also alimentary canal, alimentary tract