What is Another Name for the Large Intestine?
The large intestine is also known as the colon or the large bowel. These terms are frequently used interchangeably in medical and scientific literature.
The large intestine, a crucial part of the human digestive system, plays a vital role in absorbing water and electrolytes from indigestible food matter, forming stool, and eliminating waste from the body. It comprises several sections, including the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum. [^1, ^2, ^3] It's significantly larger in diameter than the small intestine, hence its name. [^4] The colon is the longest part of the large intestine. [^7] The large intestine and colon are essentially the same, with "colon" often referring specifically to the longest section of this organ. [^5, ^6, ^8, ^9, ^10]
Other Names Used
- Large bowel: This term emphasizes the size and function of this part of the digestive tract. [^1, ^5]
- Colon: This is a very common and often preferred alternative name, referring to the major part of the large intestine. [^5, ^6, ^7, ^8, ^9, ^10]
[^1]: The colon is also known as the large bowel or large intestine. It is an organ that is part of the digestive system (also called the digestive tract) in the human body.
[^2]: The large intestine includes the cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum. What is the large intestine? Your large ...
[^3]: The colon and rectum make up the large intestine (or large bowel) ... the other layers (see picture below). When ... colon or rectum. For ...
[^4]: The large intestine, also known as the large bowel or Colon , is the last part of the gastrointestinal tract ; In humans, the large intestine begins in the right ...
[^5]: Answer and Explanation: The large intestine is also known as the colon. This organ is nearly six feet long and 2.5 inches in diameter. The large intestine/colon ...
[^6]: During this procedure, a surgeon removes part of the large intestine, which is another name for the colon. While a bowel resection can be ...
[^7]: The longest part of the large intestine (a tube-like organ connected to the small intestine at one end and the anus at the other). The colon removes water ...
[^8]: The long, tube-like organ that is connected to the small intestine at one end and the anus at the other. The large intestine has four parts: cecum, colon, ...
[^9]: Another name for the small intestine is the small bowel. It consists of three parts: the duodenum (top), the jejunum (middle), and the ileum (end).
[^10]: May 24, 2023 ... Another name for stool is feces. It is made of what is left after your digestive system (stomach, small intestine, and colon) absorbs ...
