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gastrointestinal tract
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Diagram of the human digestive system viewed from the front, showing and labeling organs including the mouth, teeth, tongue, salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, liver, stomach, gallbladder, pancreas, large intestine, small intestine, appendix, rectum, and anus. Diagram comparing the digestive tracts of a cow and a chicken, highlighting the cow's four stomach chambers (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum) and the chicken's three stomach chambers (crop, proventriculus, gizzard), with labeled esophagus and small intestine in each animal.
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Quick Facts
Also called:
digestive tract
Or:
alimentary canal
Related Topics:
stomach
mouth
esophagus
pharynx
intestine
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Human digestive system
Human digestive system The human digestive system as seen from the front.

gastrointestinal tract

anatomy
Also known as: alimentary canal, alimentary tract, digestive tract, gut(Show More)
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Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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History

gastrointestinal tract, pathway by which food enters the body and solid wastes are expelled. The gastrointestinal tract includes the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. See digestion.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.