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saliva

sah-LEE-bah/saˈliβa/

“saliva” means “saliva” in Spanish (biological fluid).

saliva, spit

Also: breath
NounfA2
General
A simple illustration of a dog's mouth with a clear, shiny drop of saliva hanging from its tongue.

📝 In Action

La saliva es importante para empezar la digestión.

A2

Saliva is important for starting digestion.

El perro dejó rastro de saliva en el suelo.

A2

The dog left a trail of spit on the floor.

Tragué saliva antes de empezar mi presentación porque estaba muy nervioso.

B1

I swallowed hard (gulped) before starting my presentation because I was very nervous.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • baba (drool)
  • escupitajo (glob of spit)

Antonyms

  • sequedad (dryness)

Common Collocations

  • glándulas salivales – salivary glands
  • tragar saliva – to swallow hard / to gulp
  • muestra de saliva – saliva sample

Idioms & Expressions

  • gastar saliva – To talk in vain or waste one's breath trying to convince someone.
  • hacérsele a uno la boca agua – To have one's mouth water (usually when seeing delicious food).

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "saliva" in Spanish:

breath→saliva→spit→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: saliva

Question 1 of 3

Which of these is the correct way to say 'the saliva'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
salivar(to salivate) — Verb
salivación(salivation) — Noun
salivoso(salivary / stringy) — Adjective
salivazo(a large spit) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'saliva', which has the same meaning. It has remained virtually unchanged for over 2,000 years.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: salivaFrench: saliveItalian: saliva

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'saliva' and 'baba' the same thing?

Not exactly. 'Saliva' is the general, more scientific term. 'Baba' specifically refers to drool (like from a baby or a dog) or the slime left by an insect.

Can 'saliva' also be a verb?

Yes! While the noun is most common, 'saliva' is also a form of the verb 'salivar' (to salivate), meaning 'he/she/it salivates' or 'you salivate' (as a command).

What is the plural of 'saliva'?

The plural is 'salivas', but it is rarely used because saliva is usually treated as a mass, just like 'water'.