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.
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Noun
Studies suggest that the combination of caffeine and catechins in green tea may reduce the digestion and absorption of fat in the stomach and intestines.—Maria Goldbach, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2025 March 18, 2025 4 min read Several medications now calm painful inflammation in the intestines.—Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2025 These at-home tests take a stool sample, which customers can mail in to better understand the balance of healthy and potentially harmful bacteria in the intestines; some people who are concerned about a digestive symptom or a food sensitivity might be drawn to these types of tests.—Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 10 Mar. 2025 Their findings reveal that metformin significantly increases glucose transfer from the bloodstream to the intestines.—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for intestine
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-
: 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
: 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 intestines—Mayo Clinic Health Letter
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