The digestive tube passing from the stomach to the anus. It is divided primarily into the intestinum tenue (small i.) and the intestinum crassum (large i.). SYN: bowel, gut (1), intestinum (1). [L. intestinum]
- large i. [TA] the portion of the digestive tube extending from the ileocecal valve to the anus; it comprises the cecum, colon, rectum, and anal canal. SYN: intestinum crassum [TA].
- small i. [TA] the portion of the digestive tube between the stomach and the cecum or beginning of the large i.; it consists of three portions: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. SYN: intestinum tenue [TA].
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in·tes·tine in-'tes-tən n the tubular portion of the alimentary canal that lies posterior to the stomach from which it is separated by the pyloric sphincter and consists of a slender but long anterior part made up of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum which function in digestion and assimilation of nutrients and a broader shorter posterior part made up of the cecum, colon, and rectum which serve chiefly to extract moisture from the by-products of digestion and evaporate them into feces often used in pl. <the movement of digested food through your \intestines (Mayo Clinic Health Letter)> see LARGE INTESTINE, SMALL INTESTINE
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n.
the part of the alimentary canal that extends from the stomach to the anus. It is divided into two main parts - the small intestine and the large intestine. The small intestine is divided into the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. It is here that most of the processes of digestion and absorption of food take place. The surface area of the inside of the small intestine is increased by the presence of finger-like projections called villi. Glands in the mucous layer of the intestine secrete digestive enzymes and mucus. The large intestine consists of the caecum, vermiform appendix, colon, and rectum. It is largely concerned with the absorption of water from the material passed from the small intestine. The contents of the intestines are propelled forwards by means of rhythmic muscular contractions (see peristalsis).
• intestinal adj.
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in·tes·tine (in-tesґtin) intestinum. intestinal adjMedical dictionary. 2011.