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 of saliva

• drool
• spit
• spittle

Examples of saliva in a Sentence

our mouths filled with saliva when we smelled the delicious dinner

Recent Examples on the Web

Herrera’s parental rights were terminated in 2021, less than a year after Michigan raised its cutoff levels for cocaine in saliva. —Lucas Waldron, ProPublica, 6 Jan. 2026

Fermentation, which uses yeast to break down the sugars in grape juice, transforming single-note sweetness into the complex, delicious alcohol enjoyed by so many, also unlocks those smoky compounds; so, too, can the enzymes in human saliva. —Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026

This allows your saliva to wash away the acid and protects tooth enamel. —Jamie Wolff, Health, 27 Dec. 2025

For example, a study published in August suggested that a Denisovan gene variant involved in the production of mucous and saliva may have helped Homo sapiens adapt to new environments. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 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