sputum

spu·tum | \ ˈspyü-təm

How to pronounce sputum (audio)

, ˈspü- \

plural sputa\ ˈspyü-tə

How to pronounce sputa (audio)

, ˈspü- \ also sputums

Definition of sputum

: matter expectorated from the respiratory system and especially the lungs that is composed of mucus but may contain pus, blood, fibrin, or microorganisms (such as bacteria) in diseased states

Examples of sputum in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One study in Germany looked at nine mild cases and found that live viruses could not be grown from throat swabs or sputum samples eight days after symptoms started. — Lois Parshley, National Geographic, "How long does the coronavirus last inside the body?," 3 June 2020 Their faces soon wear a bluish cast; a distressing cough brings up the blood stained sputum. — Gina Kolata, New York Times, "Coronavirus Is Very Different From the Spanish Flu of 1918. Here’s How.," 10 Mar. 2020 Technicians can ask a patient to cough up phlegm, known as sputum, but doing so substantially raises the risk of infecting health care workers. — Lydia Depillis, ProPublica, "Coronavirus Tests Are Being Fast-Tracked by the FDA, but It’s Unclear How Accurate They Are.," 10 Apr. 2020 The samples can be swabs of the nose or mouth and what is called sputum, which is saliva and mucus from the respiratory tract. — cleveland, "Coronavirus glossary: Your guide to the language of a pandemic," 12 Mar. 2020 The hospital had used two different methods to test for coronavirus: sputum samples and swabs inserted into the nose. — Dennis Pillion | Dpillion@al.com, al, "What went wrong with Tuscaloosa coronavirus tests? Hospital changes course after unusable samples," 21 Mar. 2020 People can also provide both spit and sputum samples as backups. — Alice Park, Time, "The First U.S. Company Has Announced an Upcoming Home COVID-19 Test," 18 Mar. 2020 Considering coronavirus is carried in saliva and sputum, kissing is just about the most efficient way to transmit the disease imaginable, short of spitting directly into your date’s mouth. — Emma Grey Ellis, Wired, "Covid-19 Can't Stop People From Looking for Love (or Hookups)," 12 Mar. 2020 To do that, technicians first extract any genetic information from the throat swabs and sputum samples. — Arman Azad, CNN, "What actually happens during a coronavirus test?," 4 Mar. 2020

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

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Dictionary Entries near sputum

sputter/roar to life

Spuyten Duyvil Creek

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Last Updated

24 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Sputum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sputum. Accessed 5 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for sputum

sputum

noun

English Language Learners Definition of sputum

medical : a thick liquid that comes up from your lungs when you are sick

See the full definition for sputum in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sputum

spu·tum | \ ˈsp(y)üt-əm

\

plural sputa\ -ə

\

Medical Definition of sputum

: matter expectorated from the respiratory system and especially the lungs in diseased states that is composed of mucus but may contain pus, blood, fibrin, or microorganisms (as bacteria)

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