large intestine

noun

: the more terminal division of the vertebrate intestine that is wider and shorter than the small intestine, typically divided into cecum, colon, and rectum, and concerned especially with the resorption of water and the formation of feces

Examples of large intestine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Digestive organs: Important abdominal organs include the large intestine, which helps with the last stages of feces removal, and the appendix, a short outgrowth of the large intestine. —Ruth Jessen Hickman, Health, 9 Jan. 2025

In this mice study, Ansorge and colleagues observed that developing antidepressants capable of increasing serotonin levels only in the cells lining the small and large intestines might help prevent gastrointestinal complications in babies and also drastically improve the mood of depressed patients. —Anuradha Varanasi, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024

This tract is a series of throat and stomach organs that include the esophagus and small and large intestines that food and liquids move through as they are swallowed, digested and absorbed. —Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024

The descending colon is part of the large intestine and runs down the left side of the abdomen. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 22 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1724, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

large intestine

noun

: the last part of the intestine which is wider and shorter than the small intestine, which consists of the cecum, colon, and rectum, and which absorbs water from the material left over from digestion and prepares the feces for release from the body

Medical Definition

large intestine

noun

: the more terminal division of the vertebrate intestine that is wider and shorter than the small intestine, typically divided into cecum, colon, and rectum, and concerned especially with the resorption of water and the formation of feces