digestion meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

digestion

noun

/daɪˈd͡ʒɛst͡ʃən/ · /dɪˈd͡ʒɛst͡ʃən/

Etymology From Old French digestion. Partly displaced native Old English melting (“melting, digestion”).

7 senses

The process, in the gastrointestinal tract, by which food is converted into substances that can be used by the body.

In the dead state all is apparently without motion. No agent within indicates design, intelligence, or foresight: there is no respiration; no digestion, circulation, or nutrition; […]1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization, Edinburgh; London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 2:
As for Grierson, he poured liquor into himself as if it were so much soothing syrup, demonstrating that a good digestion is the highest form of good conscience.1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 159:

1 more example

Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.2013 June 29, “A punch in the gut”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, pages 72–3:

The result of this process.

The ability to use this process.

The processing of decay in organic matter assisted by microorganisms.

The assimilation and understanding of ideas.

Medicine, Sciences Archaic Generation of pus; suppuration.

Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences Dissolution of a sample into a solution by means of adding acid and heat.

Derived terms: aerodigestion, autodigestion, biodigestion, codigestion, digestional, exodigestion, maldigestion, mechanical digestion, nondigestion, overdigestion, postdigestion, predigestion, redigestion, undigestion
Related terms: digest, digester, digestible