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

Everyone was asked to chew a piece of gum for four minutes to produce a saliva sample from each. —Gretchen Eichenberg, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Rodents pass the virus through their droppings, urine and saliva. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025

Customers send vials of their saliva to 23andMe for results on ancestry and health. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2025

The study, presented at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) last week and not yet peer-reviewed, found that chewing gum may release hundreds, even thousands, of microplastics into saliva. —Julia Ries, Health, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for saliva

• godiva
• conjunctiva
• conjunctivae

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