sputum
Americannoun
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sputa
plural
noun
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a mass of salivary matter ejected from the mouth
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saliva ejected from the mouth mixed with mucus or pus exuded from the respiratory passages, as in bronchitis or bronchiectasis
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sputum
1685–95; < Latin spūtum, noun use of neuter of spūtus, past participle of spuere to spit, equivalent to spū- variant stem + -tus past participle suffix
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How does sputum compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Sputum is the gross stuff that you cough up when you're sick and congested. Sputum is your saliva mixed with mucus from your lungs. Examining a patient's sputum is one way for a doctor to tell if she might have an infection, rather than just a cold. A yellow or greenish color to the sputum someone coughs up is a sign of infection, while clear sputum usually means all is well. The word sputum shares a root with spew, the Latin verb spuere, "to spit."
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.
See Examples For:
That’s sputum, the mucus found deep in the airways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
The living material incorporates multiple microbial communities and key nutritional and chemical factors that promote bacterial growth and exhibit physical properties mimicking those of biofilms from CF sputum.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2023
A sign at the entrance to the clinic announces the other major health problem: "sputum sampling" for tuberculosis or TB.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2023
She said she was concerned because Tammy Daybell was just 49 and also had quite a bit of foamy pink sputum coming from her mouth.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 28, 2023
Miss Love looked at the sputum he spat into a rag.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Dolan obtained similar results by injecting the nasal secretions, and also by compelling rabbits to inhale air impregnated with decomposing sputa and vomit of patients suffering with the disease.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
Koch has found in examining the sputa from numerous cases of phthisis that the bacilli were present in one-half the number, and that they were absent from the sputa of individuals who were not phthisical.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
I gave over the case at this time, and some weeks afterwards I learnt with surprise that the patient was well and growing fat, and that the inoculation of the sputa had produced no effects.
From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Edward Pollock Anshutz
All excreta, and more especially the sputa or discharges from the mouth or nose, are to be treated as dangerous.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
Dr. Meir Witchell holds that the infection character of laughter is due to the instantaneous fermentation of sputa diffused in a spray.
From The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce
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