adjective

indigestible

in-dih-JEST-uh-bl/ˌɪndɪˈdʒestəbl/

Resisting breakdown and absorption through digestion.

Indigestible fiber passes through the body without being broken down.

Show the physical sense through a compact digestive cutaway: soft food breaks down into slurry while recognizable sweetcorn outer skins remain intact as the contents pass from stomach into intestine.

Etymology

inLatinnot

+diLatinapart

+gestLatinto carry

+ibleLatincapable of being

The underlying image is of carrying apart, hence separating or arranging. Indigestible denies the ability to process something this way, whether food in the body or difficult material in the mind.

In context

Natural World Facts47:43

the wood is tricky to digest without help the polymers cellulose and lignin which stiffen wood are indigestible to all but some fungi and bacteria

Into the Abyss: Chemosynthetic Oases (Full Movie)

More examples

Corn kernels have an indigestible outer covering.
The dog vomits up an indigestible piece of plastic.
I avoid foods that I find indigestible.

Forms

indigestible

digestible adjective — Able to be broken down by digestion.

Similar words

heavy: Describes food that feels filling or burdensome to digest.