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Definition

noun

(1) The digestive tract where food (bolus) passes through so that the nutriment is digested and absorbed into the blood whereas the indigestible or nonessential portion is eliminated as waste

(2) A tubular structure of muscle and mucous membrane lining that begins at the mouth and ends at the anus

Supplement

The physiological roles of the alimentary canal include:

• ingestion and/or mastication, through themouth or the buccal cavity
• digestion, mainly by stomach and small intestine
• absorption of food, mainly by small intestine
• absorption of water and electrolytes by large intestine
• egestion, by rectum and anus

Synonym(s):

• alimentary tract
• digestive tract
• digestive tube

See also:

• alimentary apparatus
• gut

Related term(s):

• alimentary
• aliment

Mentioned in:

• Mouth
• Vesicocolic fistula