salive

saliva

noun sah-LEEV Rare

Origin: Latin saliva

Usage Note

Salive is the standard anatomical and everyday word for saliva. The verb saliver means 'to salivate,' often used figuratively to mean drooling with anticipation. The expression ne pas mâcher ses mots ('not to mince words') and avaler sa salive (to swallow one's saliva, i.e., to hold back) are common idioms.

Examples

"La salive aide à digérer les aliments."

Natural Translation

Saliva helps digest food.

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