noun

digestion

dye-JES-chuhn/daɪˈdʒestʃən/

The breakdown of food into material the body can absorb.

Digestion breaks food into smaller particles as it passes through the stomach and intestine.

Educational anatomical view of stomach leading into coiled small intestine, food particles gradually become tiny absorbable dots, non-graphic soft natural colors, no labels.

Etymology

diLatinapart

+gestLatinto carry

+ionLatinaction or process

The underlying image is “carrying apart,” which developed into separating, dividing, and arranging. Digestion applies that idea to the body's conversion of food into a form it can absorb.

In context

TED-Ed1:34

Here, in an amazing display of mechanical and chemical digestion, food gets broken down into its smallest elements

Oxygen’s surprisingly complex journey through your body - Enda Butler

More examples

Enzymes help with digestion by breaking food into smaller molecules.
She has trouble with digestion after eating a heavy meal.
Most digestion takes place in the small intestine.

Forms

digestion

digest verb — To break down food for bodily absorption.

digestible adjective — Able to be broken down during digestion.

Similar words

breakdown: A broader term for separating substances into their component parts.