Word parts
What it means
The small bowel (small intestine) digests food and absorbs nutrients; the large bowel (large intestine, colon) absorbs water and forms stool. Bowel sounds are the gurgles of gas and fluid moving through it. Common problems include bowel obstruction (a blockage), inflammatory bowel diseasein-FLAM-uh-tor-ee BOW-ul dih-ZEEZA group of long-term diseases, mainly Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed.Full entry and constipationkon-stih-PAY-shunBowel movements that happen less often than usual, with hard, dry stool that is difficult to pass.Full entry .
For the nurse
Listen for bowel sounds in all four parts of the belly and ask about the last bowel movement. A swollen, painful belly with vomiting and no stool or gas can mean a blockage and is reported.
At a glance
| Everyday words | guts, intestines |
|---|---|
| Spanish | intestino |
| Also written | bowels |
Related terms
col/o
A word root that means colon, the large intestine.
gastrointestinal
Having to do with the stomach and intestines, or with the whole digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.
enter/o
A word part that means intestine, usually the small intestine.
peristalsis
Waves of muscle squeezing that push food and waste along the digestive tract.
bowel movement
The passing of stool (feces) from the bowel out through the anus.