: a slightly alkaline secretion of water, mucin, protein, salts, and often a starch-splitting enzyme (such as ptyalin) that is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands, lubricates ingested food, and often begins the breakdown of starches
Examples of saliva in a Sentence
our mouths filled with saliva when we smelled the delicious dinner
Recent Examples on the Web
The company’s at-home kits allow customers to exchange a saliva sample for insights into their genome relating to things such as their possible ancestry, health, and food preferences.
—
Bruce Gil, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024
Scientists are also examining the potential of using saliva samples in tests for bacterial or viral infections.
—Julie Sullivan, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024
The women reported information about their diet and also gave saliva samples that the team used to analyze their biological age.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 25 Sep. 2024
There have also been reports of correlations between saliva cortisol levels and cortical thickness in the frontal lobe among human adults.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 9 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for saliva 
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Bruce Gil, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024
Scientists are also examining the potential of using saliva samples in tests for bacterial or viral infections.
—Julie Sullivan, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024
The women reported information about their diet and also gave saliva samples that the team used to analyze their biological age.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 25 Sep. 2024
There have also been reports of correlations between saliva cortisol levels and cortical thickness in the frontal lobe among human adults.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN, 9 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for saliva
Dictionary Entries Near saliva
Cite this Entry
“Saliva.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saliva. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
saliva
noun
sa·li·va
sə-ˈlī-və 
: a fluid containing water, protein, salts, and often a starch-splitting enzyme that is secreted into the mouth by salivary glands
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