Overview
Swallowing, also called deglutition or inglutition in scientific and medical contexts, is a physical process of an animal's digestive tract that allows for an ingested substance to pass from the mouth to the pharynx and then into the esophagus. In colloquial English, the term "swallowing" is also used to describe the action of gulping, i.e. taking in a large mouthful of food without any biting.