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Glite Dictionary
gastrointestinal tract

gastrointestinal tract

3 3.9
A tube in the body from the mouth to the anus where food is digested and waste leaves the body
  • noun
  • /ˌɡæstroʊɪnˈtɛstɪnəl træk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tracto gastrointestinal
  • In humans, the gastrointestinal tract includes organs like the stomach and intestines that work together during digestion.
  • pass along the gastrointestinal tract

So these electrical patterns, these electrical waves that are going into that are being propagated by the gastrointestinal tract.

Examples

  • Water from your gastrointestinal tract seeps through the membrane at a carefully controlled rate.

    White Noise (2022)

  • Breakdown in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract determines what nutrients are transferred to the body and at what rate.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A number of emerging studies suggest that air pollutants may have an impact on the gastrointestinal tract.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Most side effects involve the gastrointestinal tract and are characterized as mild or moderate.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract exist within a vast population of microbes.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Rotavirus infection is thought to be localized to the gastrointestinal tract.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Most cases of pneumomediastinum are caused by surgery or trauma to the airway or upper gastrointestinal tract.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Meckel diverticulum is the most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract, occurring in 2%-3% of the population.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in digestion, processing food from the mouth to the anus.

  • A healthy gastrointestinal tract is essential for proper nutrient absorption and waste elimination.

Synonyms

digestive tract
vsgastrointestinal tract
  • Specialized
11 3.4

A long tube made of muscle from the mouth to the anus that breaks down food and removes waste

names the same continuous route but without stressing muscle detail
GI tract
vsgastrointestinal tract
  • Specialized
2 4.2

The tube in the body from the mouth to the anus that breaks down food and removes waste

is the full technical phrase rather than a short label
alimentary tract
vsgastrointestinal tract
  • Specialized
4.4

A tube in the body from the mouth to the anus that carries food and breaks it down

refers to the same continuous tube using broader scientific wording
alimentary canal
vsgastrointestinal tract
  • Specialized
4.0

A long tube that runs from the mouth to the anus and carries food during digestion

uses the same meaning but in a more general anatomical term
digestive tube
vsgastrointestinal tract
  • Specialized
3.4

A tube from the mouth to the anus where food is digested and waste leaves the body

refers to the same continuous tube but in a more formal sense

Surface Forms

gastrointestinal tract singular
gastrointestinal tracts plural

Morphology

gastrointestinal + tract

The meaning is directly compositional: 'gastrointestinal' (pertaining to stomach and intestines) combined with 'tract' (a bodily passage/system) yields a bodily tube for digestion. This medical compound follows regular English formation and has clear equivalents in many languages, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the full meaning.

Etymology

The term gastrointestinal tract comes from three parts: gastro- meaning 'stomach', intestinal meaning 'intestines', and tract meaning a long 'tube' or path. So it paints a simple picture of a single long tube in the body where food moves and is digested, which is why the term means the continuous tube from the mouth to the anus.