ingestion
UK[ɪnˈdʒɛstʃən]US[ɪnˈdʒɛstʃən]
n
The process of taking food, drink, or another substance into the body by swallowing or absorbing it.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
gest
ion
in
in
gest
carry
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'ingestion' is built upon the Latin verb ingerere, meaning "to carry in". This verb itself is a compound of the prefix in- ("into") and the verb gerere ("to carry"). The core concept of carrying something inward was specifically applied to the biological process of taking nourishment into the body. The suffix -ion was added to form the noun describing the action or process, solidifying its modern meaning. Thus, the literal "carrying in" of substances evolved into the precise physiological term for the first stage of digestion.
Analysis
Structure: in (in) + gest (carry) + ion (noun suffix)
- in: A Latin prefix meaning "in, into, on, upon".
- gest: From the Latin root gerere (to carry, to bear, to conduct), appearing in English as the morpheme gest.
- ion: A suffix of Latin origin used to form nouns denoting an action or process, or its result.
Examples
The ingestion of contaminated food can lead to severe illness.
The medication instructions warn against ingestion with alcohol.
The process of digestion begins with the ingestion of a meal.