salivate
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
(intr) to secrete saliva, esp an excessive amount
-
(tr) to cause (a laboratory animal, etc) to produce saliva, as by the administration of mercury
Other Word Forms
- salivation noun
- unsalivated adjective
- unsalivating adjective
Etymology
Origin of salivate
1650–60; < Latin salīvātus (past participle of salīvāre to cause to salivate); saliva, -ate 1
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.
“I don’t even play football,” Taylor said with a laugh after his 9.92, a time that would make any college receivers coach salivate.
From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 2, 2025
“I’m probably the one person who didn’t salivate over the arrival of ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ on,’” he says, referencing the 1971 bummer classic.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025
Two unbeaten champions with differing but equally effective styles produced a match-up of the highest level in a fight to make the boxing purist salivate.
From BBC • Oct. 12, 2024
A matchup with Rome Odunze will make NFL talent evaluators salivate.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2024
Fact: Pavlov’s dog may have learned to salivate when hearing a ringing bell, but when a bell jingled as Dad and I entered the Brevard Animal Clinic, my poor skittish nerves were startled.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
