adjective

gastrointestinal

/ˌɡæs.troʊ.ɪn.ˈtes.tɪ.nəl/ · say it: GAS·troh·in·TES·tuh·nuhl

relating to the stomach and intestines

In Medicine & Health

In more detail

relating to the stomach and intestines, or affecting the digestive system

Examples

She experienced gastrointestinal problems after eating the contaminated food.
The doctor prescribed medication for his gastrointestinal disorder.

How to use gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal is a formal medical or clinical term used to describe conditions, symptoms, or systems related to the stomach and intestines. It is the standard term in medical contexts and is more technical than the informal 'stomach trouble' or 'digestive problems', though it is also used in patient education and general health discussions.

Common phrases

gastrointestinal tract
gastrointestinal system
gastrointestinal disease
gastrointestinal upset
gastrointestinal symptoms
gastrointestinal disorder

Synonyms

digestive · intestinal · stomachic

Word family

gastrointestinal (adjective) · gastroenterology (noun) · gastroenterologist (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes misspell it as 'gastro-intestinal' with a hyphen, though the unhyphenated form is now standard in contemporary English.

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