Intestine
/ɪnˈtɛs.tɪn/noun
The long, coiled tube in the body where digestion and absorption of nutrients occur.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin intestinus, meaning “internal,” from intus, “within,” so its oldest meaning was simply “what is inside” rather than the organ itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*en
“in, within”
Latin
Latin
intus
“within, on the inside”
Latin
Latin
intestinus
“inward, internal; especially the internal organs”
Old French
Old French
intestin
“internal; the bowels”
Middle English
English
intestine
“the entrails; the inner organs”
Modern English
English
intestine
“the bowel, especially the small and large intestines”
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