saliva B2 Topic:Materials & Substances US /səˈlaɪvə/ UK /səˈlaɪvə/ See IPA manual Freq #12104 Meanings 1 noun the clear liquid secreted into the mouth that moistens food and begins digestion Saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down starch. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 noun · the clear liquid secreted... spitspittle Word family Related forms salivarysalivatesalivationmouth Etymology A learned borrowing from Latin saliva ("spittle"), replacing or merging with Middle English salive and salve from the same source. The deeper origin of the Latin word is uncertain. Topics Materials & Substances External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # saliva **Type:** Word **Level:** B2 **Part of speech:** noun **IPA (US):** /səˈlaɪvə/ **IPA (UK):** /səˈlaɪvə/ **Frequency rank:** 12104 ## Meanings 1. the clear liquid secreted into the mouth that moistens food and begins digestion ## Examples - Saliva contains enzymes that start breaking down starch. ## Synonyms - spit - spittle ## Related Forms - salivary - salivate - salivation - mouth ## Etymology A learned borrowing from Latin saliva ("spittle"), replacing or merging with Middle English salive and salve from the same source. The deeper origin of the Latin word is uncertain. ## Topics - Materials & Substances markdown