salivary gland

American  

noun

Anatomy.

salivary glands plural

1. any of several glands, as the submaxillary glands, that secrete saliva.

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salivary gland British  

noun

1. any of the glands in mammals that secrete saliva. In man the chief salivary glands are the parotid, sublingual and submaxillary glands

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salivary gland Scientific  

/ săl′ə-vĕr′ē /

1. A gland in terrestrial animals that secretes saliva. In humans, three pairs of large glands, which include the parotid glands, secrete saliva into the mouth.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• salivary glands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of salivary gland

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

salivary gland

After the removal of a cancerous salivary gland tumor, Wing’s oncologist recommended chemotherapy and radiation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

Suzy Spence, from Carrickfergus in County Antrim, was diagnosed with a tumour in her salivary gland in December 2023 and was warned that a cancer diagnosis could not be ruled out.

From BBC ● Mar. 4, 2025

The scientists were trying to determine which cell produces a certain protein involved in salivary gland growth and repair.

From Scientific American ● Jul. 22, 2022

The chromosomes depicted here were isolated from a fruit fly’s salivary gland, stained with dye, and visualized under a microscope.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

A salivary gland in front of Garfield's right ear swelled.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow