as in drool
the fluid that is secreted into the mouth by certain glands
our mouths filled with saliva when we smelled the delicious dinner
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Recent Examples of saliva
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
Rabies can also spread when a rabid animal's saliva enters an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Researchers hypothesize that the ancient mother bees mixed dirt with their saliva to construct these minuscule chambers, each smaller than the eraser on a pencil.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
The Jawbreaker Gag will cause a person's mouth to produce more saliva than a regular gag and create a choking hazard if the person is unattended or inverted for any reason.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saliva
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Dec. 2025
Rabies can also spread when a rabid animal's saliva enters an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Researchers hypothesize that the ancient mother bees mixed dirt with their saliva to construct these minuscule chambers, each smaller than the eraser on a pencil.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
The Jawbreaker Gag will cause a person's mouth to produce more saliva than a regular gag and create a choking hazard if the person is unattended or inverted for any reason.
—Kyler Alvord, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saliva
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saliva
Noun
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In one image—a favorite of mine—a man lies on an expanse of sand, cradling a smiling child, whose drool is pooling on the man’s shirtless chest.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
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Lotte looks down at drips of drool on the green rubber mat that covers her desk.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
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According to the document, guests dined on a fancy spring feast of soft shell crab amandine, spring lamb a la broche aux primeurs (literally, ‘lamb on a spit with spring vegetables’), salade mimosa, and strawberries romanoff.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026
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The placement of the spit guard appeared to violate a sheriff’s office policy barring the use of those devices on people who are struggling to breathe, the lawsuit claimed.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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This surgical mask is my disguise and my means of shielding myself from covid spittle.—
Cora Frazier,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
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Beaty gave it the whole shooting match and went crazy-Rick and began screaming in Butler’s face, spittle flying.—
Jay Glennie,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Saliva.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saliva. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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