bolus

(noun)

a round mass of something, especially of chewed food in the mouth or alimentary canal

Related Terms

Examples of bolus in the following topics:

  • Digestive System: Mouth and Stomach

    • The chewing and wetting action provided by the teeth and saliva shape the food into a mass called the bolus for swallowing.
    • The tongue aids in swallowing by moving the bolus from the mouth into the pharynx.
    • With the help of the tongue, the resulting bolus is moved into the esophagus by swallowing.

  • Ingestion

    • Once in the mouth, the teeth, saliva, and tongue play important roles in mastication (preparing the food into bolus).