spittle

noun

spit·​tle ˈspi-tᵊl How to pronounce spittle (audio)

Example Sentences

Spittle sprayed from his lips as he shouted at them. unaware that spittle was leaking out of his mouth while he slept
Recent Examples on the Web Devid Striesow’s spittle-spewing portrayal of the general, augmented by lavish dinner spreads and opera on the phonograph, comes too close to comfort to Stroheim’s silent-film caricatures of the evil Hun. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2023 While no spittle can be seen coming out of Styles' mouth, both men's body language at the moment, combined with Styles' pursed lips, led many to believe the pop star intentionally spat at Pine. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 6 Sep. 2022 At jazz band practice, the teacher, Eva Aneshansley, mindful of spittle, slides a trash can beside a trumpeter. The New York Times, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2022 Tiny tufts of fur jet into my nose; flecks of spittle smear onto my cheeks. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2022 There’s still 16 days to go before the film’s opening on Sept. 23, a lifetime for a campaign that has sparked a media feeding frenzy with everything from Harry Styles’ (alleged) spittle to Pugh’s eye contact, or lack thereof, being dissected. Tatiana Siegel, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2022 One time, the spittle of a sneezing, sniffling guy somehow went through his mask and landed on my forehead. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2022 And scientists have known for years that SARS-CoV-2 can hitch a ride in bubbles of spittle and snot small enough to drift across rooms and remain aloft for hours, especially in poorly ventilated indoor spaces. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 23 June 2022 Its eyes were milky, its tongue swollen and foamed with spittle. Zach Williams, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spittle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spetil, from Old English spǣtl; akin to Old English spittan to spit

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spittle was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near spittle

Cite this Entry

“Spittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spittle. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

spittle

noun
spit·​tle ˈspit-ᵊl How to pronounce spittle (audio)

Medical Definition

spittle

noun
spit·​tle ˈspit-ᵊl How to pronounce spittle (audio)
: saliva

More from Merriam-Webster on spittle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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