"bowels," 1590s, from Latin intestina, neuter plural of intestinus (adj.) "internal, inward, intestine," from intus "within, on the inside" (see ento-). Cf. Sanskrit antastyam, Greek entosthia "bowels." The Old English word was hropp, literally "rope."
early 15c., from Middle French intestin (14c.) or directly from Latin intestinum "a gut," in plural, "intestines, bowels," noun use of neuter of adjective intestinus "inward, internal" (see intestines). Distinction of large and small intestines in Middle English was made under the terms gross and subtle. The word also was used as an adjective in English from 1530s with a sense of "internal, domestic, civil."
intestine in·tes·tine (ĭn-těs'tĭn)
n.
The portion of the alimentary canal extending from the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consisting of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine.
| intestine (ĭn-těs'tĭn) The muscular tube that forms the part of the digestive tract extending from the stomach to the anus and consisting of the small and large intestines. In the intestine, nutrients and water from digested food are absorbed and waste products are solidified into feces. See also large intestine, small intestine. |
The part of the gastrointestinal tract that extends from the stomach to the anus. The intestines are further subdivided into the large intestine and small intestine. (See digestive system.)
tubular part of the alimentary canal that extends from the stomach to the anus. The intestine is the site of most chemical digestive processes and the place where digested food materials are either absorbed for use by the body or collected into feces for elimination. The anterior part of the intestine, which is linked to the stomach, is called the small intestine. It is followed by a shorter, wider segment called the large intestine, which terminates in the anus.