intestine

1 of 2

noun

in·​tes·​tine in-ˈte-stən How to pronounce intestine (audio)
: the tubular part of the digestive tract that extends from the stomach to the anus compare large intestine, small intestine

Illustration of intestine

Illustration of intestine
  • A large intestine
  • B small intestine

intestine

2 of 2

adjective

: internal
specifically : of or relating to the internal affairs of a state or country
intestine war

Did you know?

We bet you thought intestine was a noun referring to a part of the digestive system! It is, of course, but naming that internal body part isn't the word's only function. Both the noun and the adjective intestine have been a part of English since the 15th century, and both trace to the Latin adjective intestinus, meaning "internal," and ultimately to intus, meaning "within." Though the adjective intestine turns up much less frequently than does its anatomical cousin, it does see occasional use, especially as a synonym for civil and domestic (in contrast to foreign) applied to wars and disturbances.

Examples of intestine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Of the six people charged this week, two ran the operation that imported, transported, and sold the intestines; two were wholesalers; and two others transported the goods. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Human skin, for instance, can’t spontaneously turn into muscle or cells that line the inside of the intestine. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 Finally, Negrete bandages the wound, an ugly bulge of the intestines visible under the gauze. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Next is purgation, aimed at flushing out the intestines. Jane Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Feb. 2024 After three emergency surgeries, the intestines were corrected. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 In the procedure, which took about eight hours, Merchant removed the tumor along with Robinson’s spleen, two-thirds of her stomach and some of her intestines. By Crystal Chew, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Their son was born eight days early with intestinal malrotation, a rare abnormality where an infant's intestines are entangled. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning, and death. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intestine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Middle French intestin, from Latin intestinum, from neuter of intestinus

Adjective

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French intestin, from Latin intestinus, from intus within — more at ent-

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intestine was in the 15th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near intestine

Cite this Entry

“Intestine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intestine. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intestine

noun
in·​tes·​tine
in-ˈtes-tən
: the part of the alimentary canal that is a long tube composed of the small intestine and the large intestine, that extends from the stomach to the anus, that helps to digest food and absorb nutrients and water, and that carries waste matter to be discharged

Medical Definition

intestine

noun
in·​tes·​tine in-ˈtes-tən How to pronounce intestine (audio)
: the tubular portion of the digestive tract 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 function in resorption of water from the by-products of digestion and formation of the feces
often used in plural
the movement of digested food through your intestinesMayo Clinic Health Letter
see large intestine, small intestine
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!