saliva

American  

[suh-lahy-vuh] / səˈlaɪ və /

noun

1. a viscid, watery fluid, secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands, that functions in the tasting, chewing, and swallowing of food, moistens the mouth, and starts the digestion of starches.

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saliva British  

/ səˈlaɪvə, səˈlaɪvərɪ, ˈsælɪvərɪ /

noun

1. the secretion of salivary glands, consisting of a clear usually slightly acid aqueous fluid of variable composition. It moistens the oral cavity, prepares food for swallowing, and initiates the process of digestion

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saliva Scientific  

/ sə-lī′və /

1. The watery fluid that is secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands. In many animals, including humans, it contains the enzyme amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates. Saliva also contains mucus, which lubricates food for swallowing, and various proteins and mineral salts. Some special chemicals occur in the saliva of other animals, such as anticoagulants in the saliva of mosquitoes.

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saliva Cultural  

1. The fluid produced by the secretions of the salivary glands. Saliva contains enzymes that begin the digestion of starches. It also moistens the mouth tissues and makes food easier to chew and swallow.

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Other Word Forms

• salivary adjective

Etymology

Origin of saliva

First recorded in 1670–80, saliva is from the Latin word salīva

Example Sentences

Those areas include travel packs for curlers, which include high-protein snacks, hand sanitizers, face masks, chewing gum to increase saliva production and help avoid illness, and even dehydrated meals when going to Asia.

From BBC

Stool, blood and saliva samples from volunteer participants will be analysed to build "an immunological profile" of both diseases.

From BBC

It licked his wrist, and the saliva shone like a glowworm on his skin.

From Literature

Arakawa was found to have died on or around Feb. 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a very rare disease that is spread by infected rat droppings or saliva.

From MarketWatch

After she died in 2024 in northern Spain, aged 117, scientists took samples from her stool, blood, saliva, and urine and compared them with 75 other women from the Iberian peninsula.

From BBC