spittle
Americannoun
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the fluid secreted in the mouth; saliva or spit
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Also called: cuckoo spit. frog spit. the frothy substance secreted on plants by the larvae of certain froghoppers
Etymology
Origin of spittle
1470–80; blend of Middle English spit (noun) ( see spit 1) and spetil, Old English spǣtl, variant of spātl saliva
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cicadas, winged buggy noisemakers whose relatives include leaf-hoppers and spittle bugs, come in two varieties: the annual cicadas who, sure enough, appear every year and the periodical cicadas, who appear in 13-year and 17-year cycles.
From Salon ● May 16, 2024
Measles, which can be prevented by vaccination, is an airborne disease spread by the coughs, sneezes and spittle of those infected.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 3, 2023
Some high school coaches might spray spittle and strain their vocal cords in a postgame meeting afterward.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2023
At jazz band practice, the teacher, Eva Aneshansley, mindful of spittle, slides a trash can beside a trumpeter.
From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2022
And as I turned with tears in my eyes and the spittle hanging from my mouth I saw my father grimace before he threw back his share all at once.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
