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salivate

Syllabification: (sal·i·vate)
Pronunciation: /ˈsaləˌvāt/
Translate salivate | into French | into Italian
Definition of salivate

verb

[no object]
  • 1secrete saliva, especially in anticipation of food.
  • [with object] technical cause (a person or animal) to produce an unusually copious secretion of saliva.
  • 2display great relish at the sight or prospect of something:I was fairly salivating at the prospect of a $10 million loan

Derivatives

salivation

Pronunciation: /ˌsaləˈvāSHən/
noun

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Latin salivat- '(having) produced saliva', from the verb salivare, from saliva (see saliva)

salivate in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of salivate in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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