Alimentary system
- Pronunciation
- /al-i-men-tair-ee si-stem/
- Category
- Physiology
- Singular
- Alimentary system
- Plural
- Alimentary systems
Definition
The biological system responsible for the ingestion, digestion, absorption, and elimination of food in animals.
Etymology
From Latin 'alimentum', meaning 'food', and 'systema', denoting a complex network.
Example
The alimentary system of an insect consists of a foregut, midgut, and hindgut.
Related Terms
- Digestion
- Nutrition
- Gut