saliva (n.)

early 15c., from French salive, from Latin saliva "spittle," of unknown origin (perhaps, as Tucker suggests, somehow derived from the base of sallow (adj.)).

Entries linking to saliva

sallow (adj.)

Old English salo "dusky, dark" (related to sol "dark, dirty"), from Proto-Germanic *salwa- (source also of Middle Dutch salu "discolored, dirty," Old High German salo "dirty gray," Old Norse sölr "dirty yellow"), from PIE root *sal- (2) "dirty, gray" (source also of Old Church Slavonic slavojocije "grayish-blue color," Russian solovoj "cream-colored"). Related: Sallowness.

salivary (adj.)

1709, from Latin salivarius, from saliva (see saliva).

salivate (v.)

1650s, "cause to produce saliva;" intransitive sense from 1680s, from Latin salivatus, past participle of salivare, from saliva (see saliva). Figurative use in reference to anticipation by 1965. Related: Salivated; salivating.

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Definitions of saliva

saliva (n.)

a clear liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands of the mouth; moistens the mouth and starts the digestion of starches;

Synonyms: spit / spittle

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near saliva

salination

saline

salinity

Salisbury steak

Salish

saliva

salivary

salivate

salivation

Salk

sallow