spittoon

American  

[spi-toon] / spɪˈtun /

noun

1. a cuspidor.

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spittoon British  

/ spɪˈtuːn /

noun

1. a receptacle for spit, usually in a public place

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Etymology

Origin of spittoon

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25; spit ¹ + -oon

Explanation

A spittoon is a bowl or other container that's made for spitting into. Your tobacco-chewing uncle might keep a spittoon on his porch. Spittoons are fairly old fashioned — in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was common to find public spittoons, usually made of brass, in places like banks and hotels. You can really call anything that's used to hold saliva a spittoon, like a beer can or a coffee mug, although the word thankfully doesn't come up as frequently as it used to, since chewing tobacco is less common. In the late 1600s, it was called a spitting box.

Example Sentences

For 57 years, the team has treated its host city like a spittoon.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 18, 2023

He sat down in an armchair in the study of his home, a porcelain spittoon on the floor nearby.

From Washington Post • Feb. 20, 2022

The world is your spittoon and hygiene is unpatriotic!

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2021

Cindy is tough; she aims her cultural commentary as if into a spittoon.

From New York Times • Nov. 4, 2019

The cowboy spat toward the brass spittoon in the aisle and nearly made it.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson