saliva

noun

sa·​li·​va sə-ˈlī-və 

: a slightly alkaline secretion of water, mucin, protein, salts, and often a starch-splitting enzyme (such as ptyalin) that is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands, lubricates ingested food, and often begins the breakdown of starches

Synonyms

• drool
• slaver
• slobber
• spit
• spittle

Examples of saliva in a Sentence

our mouths filled with saliva when we smelled the delicious dinner

Recent Examples on the Web

It's often transmitted through oral-oral contact, but any direct contact or contact with contaminated saliva can spread the virus. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 Sep. 2024

So effectively a chimp will pant just like a dog to evaporate the saliva off their tongue to take the body heat out into the atmosphere that way. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 July 2024

Blot your teeth to remove saliva so there's no barrier between the strips and your teeth. Put them in place. —Allure Editors, Allure, 19 July 2024

This unusual allergy is most often caused by the lone-star tick, whose saliva triggers an immune reaction against a molecule, alpha-gal, found in most mammals besides humans. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

saliva

noun

sa·​li·​va sə-ˈlī-və 

: a fluid containing water, protein, salts, and often a starch-splitting enzyme that is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands

Medical Definition

saliva

noun

sa·​li·​va sə-ˈlī-və 

: a slightly alkaline secretion of water, mucin, protein, salts, and often a starch-splitting enzyme (as ptyalin) that is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands, lubricates ingested food, and often begins the breakdown of starches