Saliva

Pronunciation: /səˈlaɪvə/

Definitions of saliva

noun a watery substance in the mouth that helps with the digestion of food

Example Sentences

A1 I produce saliva in my mouth to help me chew my food.

A2 When I see delicious food, my mouth starts to water with saliva.

B1 Saliva plays an important role in the digestion process by breaking down food.

B2 The dentist can analyze your saliva to check for any signs of dental problems.

C1 Researchers are studying the composition of saliva to develop new diagnostic tools.

C2 Saliva contains enzymes that help protect the mouth from harmful bacteria.

Examples of saliva in a Sentence

formal The presence of excessive saliva in the mouth can indicate a medical condition.

informal I always have to wipe away my dog's saliva after he drinks water.

slang Ew, that movie was so boring it made me want to drool saliva.

figurative Her words were like acid, causing my saliva to dry up in fear.

Grammatical Forms of saliva

• plural: salivas
• comparative: more saliva
• superlative: most saliva
• present tense: salivates
• future tense: will salivate
• perfect tense: has salivated
• continuous tense: is salivating
• singular: saliva
• positive degree: saliva
• infinitive: to salivate
• gerund: salivating
• participle: salivated

Origin and Evolution of saliva

First Known Use: 1706 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'saliva' originated from the Latin word 'saliva' which means 'spittle'.

Evolution of the word: The word 'saliva' has retained its original meaning of the fluid secreted by glands in the mouth to aid in digestion and has not undergone significant evolution in terms of usage or meaning.