expletive

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a profane or obscene exclamation; a meaningless filler word

   He muttered an expletive and slammed the door.

Simplified etymology

Expletive entered English in the late Middle Ages from late Latin expletivus, derived from explere “fill out,” itself formed from ex- “out” and plere “fill.” It first denoted a word used merely to fill out a sentence and was applied specifically to an oath or swear word in the mid-17th century.

From Late Latin expletivus ('serving to fill out'), from Latin explere ('to fill out'), from ex- ('out') + plere ('to fill').

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary