expletive

[ek-spli-tiv]

noun

1. an interjectory word or expression, frequently profane; an exclamatory oath.

2. a syllable, word, or phrase serving to fill out.

3. Grammar.,  a word considered as regularly filling the syntactic position of another, as it in It is his duty to go, or there in There is nothing here.

adjective

1. Also expletory added merely to fill out a sentence or line, give emphasis, etc..

   Expletive remarks padded the speech.

expletive

/ ɪkˈspliːtɪv /

noun

1. an exclamation or swearword; an oath or a sound expressing an emotional reaction rather than any particular meaning

2. any syllable, word, or phrase conveying no independent meaning, esp one inserted in a line of verse for the sake of the metre

adjective

1. expressing no particular meaning, esp when filling out a line of verse

expletive

1. Any exclamation or oath, especially one that is obscene or profane, as in “Dammit, I forgot to buy the milk.”

The Oval Office tapes of President Richard Nixon, released during the investigation of the Watergate scandal, made famous the phrase “expletive deleted,” which appeared frequently in expurgated transcripts of the tapes.

Other Word Forms

• expletively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of expletive¹

1600–10; < Late Latin explētīvus serving to fill out, equivalent to Latin explēt ( us ) filled, filled up (past participle of explēre; explement ) + -īvus -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of expletive¹

C17: from Late Latin explētīvus for filling out, from explēre, from plēre to fill

Example Sentences

After the footage of her berating fellow councillors and using expletives was leaked to the Guardian earlier this month, Ms Kemkaran said the culprits had committed an act of "treachery".

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"Unfortunately, our region is very close to our scheming neighbour," he said, adding an expletive for good measure.

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In April, the chief executive of RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, reacted with an expletive as he watched his company's stock tumble, in response to a major tariff announcement from the White House.

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The third expressed his views, in which he said "I hate them", referring to "misogynists and homophobes", adding an expletive.

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In the clip, a Brewers fan identified as Sharon Kobylarczyk criticizes him for drinking a hard seltzer and calls him an expletive.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• curse