verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈsælɪveɪt/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˈsæləveɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S AE1 L AH0 V EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To produce saliva.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To show eager anticipation at the expectation of something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, intransitive
Examples
He's been salivating over the latest model sports car for a while now.