small intestine

noun

: the narrow part of the intestine that lies between the stomach and colon, consists of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, secretes digestive enzymes, and is the chief site of the digestion of food into small molecules which are absorbed into the body

Examples of small intestine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the duodenal switch, the first part of the small intestine is divided just below the stomach, and a section of the intestine is rerouted and connected to the stomach. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025

This opening below the new stomach is then connected to a part of the lower small intestine called the ileum. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 27 Mar. 2025

Another option was a gastric bypass, in which a surgeon cuts the stomach into a walnut-size pouch so that food bypasses most of the stomach and the first part of the small intestine. —Samhita Mukhopadhyay, SELF, 26 Mar. 2025

High doses of magnesium may not be fully absorbed in the small intestines and can lead to side effects like diarrhea, stomach cramping, and nausea.16 Magnesium supplements may also interact with some medications, like certain antibiotics and diuretics. —Kirstyn Hill, Pharmd, Mph, Health, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for small intestine

• clandestine
• progestin

Kids Definition

small intestine

noun

: the long narrow part of the intestine between the stomach and the colon in which food is mostly digested, from which digested food is absorbed into the body, and which consists of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum

Medical Definition

small intestine

noun

: the part of the intestine that lies between the stomach and colon, consists of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, secretes digestive enzymes, and is the chief site of the absorption of digested nutrients

called also small bowel