digest
UK[daɪˈdʒɛst]US[daɪˈdʒɛst, dɪˈdʒɛst]
v
To break down food in the stomach and intestines into substances that the body can use.
v
To think about and understand information, especially when there is a lot of it or it is difficult.
n
A short, written collection of information, or a magazine containing such collections.
Morpheme Breakdown
di
gest
di
apart
gest
carry, bear
Etymology
The word 'digest' originates from the Latin verb 'digerere', meaning 'to separate, divide, or distribute'. This Latin term is itself composed of the prefix 'di-' (a variant of 'dis-', meaning 'apart') and the root 'gerere' (meaning 'to carry or bear'). The literal sense of carrying things apart evolved into the physiological concept of separating food into its usable components within the body. By metaphorical extension, this process of breaking down and assimilating material was applied to the mental absorption and organization of information, leading to the modern abstract meanings.
Analysis
Structure: di (apart) + gest (carry, bear)
- di: A prefix of Latin origin, a variant of 'dis-' meaning 'apart' or 'in different directions'.
- gest: A root of Latin origin, from 'gerere' meaning 'to carry, bear, or perform'.
Examples
It takes the body several hours to digest a heavy meal.
I need a few moments to digest the news you've just told me.
The monthly digest contains summaries of all the key articles from our journals.