How to pronounce saliva
Say it like suh-LY-vuh. Saliva has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce saliva. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- suh
- LY
- vuh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Saliva pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- vuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of saliva
American and British speakers say saliva in essentially the same way: /səˈlaɪvə/ in the US and /səˈlaɪvə/ in the UK.
British respelling: suh-LY-vuh.
What does saliva mean?
- A clear, slightly alkaline liquid secreted into the mouth by the salivary glands and mucous glands, consisting of water, mucin, protein, and enzymes. It moistens the mouth, lubricates ingested food, and begins the breakdown of starches.
Where does saliva come from?
Displaced Middle English slaver, slavere ("saliva"; whence Modern English slaver); and Middle English spyttle, spetel, spatel, spotel ("saliva"; whence Modern English spittle, spettle, spattle).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying saliva
How do you pronounce saliva?
Say suh-LY-vuh. The American pronunciation is /səˈlaɪvə/. In British English it is /səˈlaɪvə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in saliva?
Saliva has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LY). Broken into parts: suh · LY · vuh.
Do Americans and Brits say saliva the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /səˈlaɪvə/ and the British form is /səˈlaɪvə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.