salivate
verb /ˈsælɪveɪt/
/ˈsælɪveɪt/
[intransitive] (formal or humorous)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they salivate | /ˈsælɪveɪt/ /ˈsælɪveɪt/ |
| he / she / it salivates | /ˈsælɪveɪts/ /ˈsælɪveɪts/ |
| past simple salivated | /ˈsælɪveɪtɪd/ /ˈsælɪveɪtɪd/ |
| past participle salivated | /ˈsælɪveɪtɪd/ /ˈsælɪveɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form salivating | /ˈsælɪveɪtɪŋ/ /ˈsælɪveɪtɪŋ/ |
- to produce more saliva in your mouth than usual, especially when you see or smell food
- (figurative) He was salivating over the thought of the million dollars.
Word Originmid 17th cent.: from Latin salivat- ‘(having) produced saliva’, from the verb salivare, from saliva.