CHYME Meaning and
Definition
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Chyme is a noun that refers to the partially digested food mixture found in the stomach and small intestine. It is the result of the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food that occurs during digestion in the human body. After food is consumed and enters the stomach, it undergoes a series of muscular contractions called peristalsis, as well as the action of hydrochloric acid and enzymes. These processes help break down the food into smaller particles and mix it with digestive juices, such as gastric acid and enzymes secreted by the gastric glands.
The resulting chyme is a thick, semi-fluid mass that passes from the stomach into the small intestine through the pyloric sphincter. In the small intestine, the chyme is further mixed with digestive enzymes and bile from the liver, which aid in the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates for absorption into the bloodstream. The nutrients from the chyme are then absorbed through the lining of the small intestine into the body, while the undigested waste material continues its journey to the large intestine.
Understanding the composition and consistency of chyme is crucial to the study of digestion and gastrointestinal health. Various factors, such as diet, stomach acid levels, and motility of the digestive system, can affect the formation and quality of chyme. Disorders or diseases that disrupt the normal production or movement of chyme may result in indigestion, malabsorption, or other gastrointestinal problems.
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The semifluid mass of party digested food passed from the stomach into the duodenum.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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Digested food before being changed into chyle.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for CHYME
Etymology of CHYME
The word "chyme" is derived from the Greek word "khymos" (χυμός), meaning "juice" or "fluid". In ancient Greek medicine, khymos referred specifically to the fluids and juices naturally produced by the body, such as the digestive juices in the stomach. Over time, this term was incorporated into English to specifically describe the partially digested food and gastric juices that pass from the stomach into the small intestine.
Similar spelling words for CHYME
- chum,
- chime,
- chennai,
- chien,
- chummy,
- chamaea,
- chimney,
- Cheney,
- Cheyne,
- thyme,
- rhyme,
- Chen,
- chammy,
- Chaney,
- cyme,
- cheyenne,
- chine,
- shame,
- Cham.
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