The Digestive System: English Vocabulary List

a passage in the neck through which food and air pass

"My throat hurts today."

"He had a sore throat after singing loudly at the concert."

(anatomy) the passage in the throat that connects the mouth to the gullet

"The pharynx connects the nose and mouth to the esophagus."

"The pharynx is the part of the throat that connects the mouth and nose to the esophagus."

a greenish-brown alkaline fluid that is produced by the liver in order to help the body digest fats

"Bile helps digestion."

"The liver produces bile to break down fats."

a long, tubular organ in the digestive system responsible for nutrient absorption from food

"The small intestine absorbs nutrients."

"The small intestine is where most nutrient absorption occurs after food is digested in the stomach."

a long, continuous tube in the body through which the food coming from the stomach moves and is passed

"The intestine absorbs nutrients from digested food."

"The small intestine is about twenty feet long and is the part of the digestive system where most nutrients are absorbed into the blood."

a muscular tube that connects the throat to the stomach, allowing for the passage of food and liquids during digestion

"Food passes through the esophagus into the stomach."

"The esophagus is a muscular tube about ten inches long that connects the throat to the stomach using wave like contractions to push food downward even when a person is lying down."

the tube that carries bile from the liver or the gall bladder to the first segment of the small intestine, also known as duodenum

"The bile duct carries bile to intestine."

"The bile duct carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine for fat digestion."

the duct through which food is passed from the throat to the stomach

"The gullet connects throat to stomach."

"The gullet also called the esophagus carries food from the throat down to the stomach."

a small, pear-shaped organ located beneath the liver in which the body stores a strong digestive fluid produced by the liver

"The gallbladder stores bile."

"The surgeon removed her gallbladder because it was full of painful stones that were causing severe attacks after she ate fatty foods."

a large gland in the body that produces insulin and glucagon and substances that help the body digest food

"The pancreas produces insulin."

"The pancreas is both an endocrine and digestive organ."

the final part of the large intestine where waste is collected before being passed through the anus

"The rectum stores solid waste."

"The rectum stores solid waste before it is expelled from the body through the anus."

the initial segment of the small intestine that receives partially digested food from the stomach for further digestion

"The duodenum absorbs iron and calcium."

"The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine where bile and pancreatic enzymes break down food."

the segment of the colon that travels vertically along the right side of the abdominal cavity

"The ascending colon moves waste upward."

"The ascending colon travels upward on the right side of the abdomen and absorbs water from waste."

the segment of the large intestine that travels downward on the left side of the abdomen

"The descending colon moves waste downward."

"The descending colon travels downward on the left side of the abdomen storing waste before elimination."

the section of the large intestine that extends horizontally across the abdomen, connecting the ascending and descending colons

"The transverse colon crosses the abdomen."

"The transverse colon crosses the upper abdomen from right to left beneath the stomach and liver."

the first part of the large intestine, located in the lower right abdomen

"Cecum connects small intestine."

"The cecum is a pouch at the beginning of the large intestine where the small intestine empties its contents for further digestion."

the curved segment of the large intestine that links the descending colon to the rectum, forming an "S" shape in the human body

"The sigmoid colon stores fecal matter."

"The sigmoid colon is the S shaped last part of the large intestine before the rectum."

the middle section of the small intestine, located between the duodenum and the ileum

"The jejunum absorbs sugars and proteins."

"The jejunum is the middle section of the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream."

a sharp bend in the colon located in the upper-right quadrant of the abdomen where the ascending colon meets the transverse colon

"The hepatic flexure bends near the liver."

"The hepatic flexure is the sharp bend where the ascending colon joins the transverse colon near the liver."

a sharp bend in the colon located in the upper-left quadrant of the abdomen where the transverse colon meets the descending colon

"The splenic flexure bends near spleen."

"The splenic flexure is the sharp bend where the transverse colon joins the descending colon near the spleen."

the final segment of the small intestine that connects to the large intestine in the human body

"The ileum absorbs vitamin B12."

"The ileum is the final section of the small intestine where vitamin B twelve and bile salts are absorbed."

a duct that carries digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine for the breakdown and absorption of food

"The pancreatic duct carries digestive enzymes."

"The pancreatic duct carries digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine."

a duct that transports bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine for digestion and absorption of fats

"The common bile duct empties into intestine."

"The common bile duct carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine."

a hole at the end of an animal or human's body from which the faeces leaves the body

"The anus expels solid waste."

"The anus is the opening at the end of the digestive tract through which solid waste leaves the body."

the terminal portion of the large intestine that extends from the rectum to the anus and is responsible for the passage of fecal matter during defecation

"The anal canal is rectum's end."

"The anal canal is the short passage at the end of the rectum leading to the anus."

the tube-like structure in the human body through which food passes, extending from the mouth to the anus

"The alimentary canal runs mouth to anus."

"The alimentary canal is the continuous tube from mouth to anus through which food passes and is digested."

a sac-like organ inside the body where urine is stored before being passed

"The bladder is full."

"She needed to use the bathroom because her bladder was full."

(anatomy) the tube in most mammals that carries urine out of the body, which also carries sperm in males

"The urethra carries urine."

"The urethra is shorter in women than in men."

a narrow tube that transports urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder in the human body

"The ureter carries urine to bladder."

"The ureter carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder for storage."

the central collecting region of the kidney where urine from the renal calyces is gathered before it travels to the ureter

"The renal pelvis collects urine from kidney."

"The renal pelvis collects urine from the kidney's collecting ducts and funnels it into the ureter."

the outermost layer of the kidney that houses the functional units responsible for urine production and filtration

"The renal cortex filters blood."

"The renal cortex is the outer part of the kidney containing the glomeruli and convoluted tubules."

the inner part of the kidney that produces urine and regulates water and electrolyte balance

"The renal medulla concentrates urine."

"The renal medulla is the inner part of the kidney containing the renal pyramids and collecting ducts."

an enzyme produced in the stomach that helps in the digestion of proteins by breaking them down into smaller peptides

"Pepsin breaks down proteins in the stomach."

"Pepsin is a powerful digestive enzyme produced in the stomach lining that begins the process of breaking down complex dietary proteins into smaller peptides."

a microscopic, finger-like structure found in the lining of the small intestine, responsible for enhancing the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream

"The villus increases absorption surface area."

"The villus is a tiny finger like projection in the small intestine that increases surface area for nutrient absorption."

the liquid produced in the mouth to make chewing and swallowing easier and to prepare food for digestion

"Saliva helps digestion."

"The smell of food caused his mouth to fill with saliva as his digestive system prepared for eating."