Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To expel saliva or phlegm from the mouth; to spit.

Usage

• This is a formal, technical, or medical term for the act of spitting. It is rarely used in everyday conversation, where "spit" is the common word.
• It is typically used in a descriptive or clinical context.

Examples

• The doctor noted that the patient would frequently ptyalize small amounts of saliva.
• In some cultures, it is considered extremely rude to ptyalize in public.

Advanced Usage

• The act of ptyalizing can be a symptom of certain medical conditions or a side effect of medication.
• The term is almost exclusively used in the third person (he/she ptyalizes) or in the infinitive/past tense forms.

Variants and Related Words

• Ptyalism (noun): Excessive production of saliva.
  • The medication caused ptyalism, which led to frequent spitting.
• Expectorate (verb): A more common formal synonym, often used specifically for coughing up and spitting out phlegm from the lungs or throat.
• Salivate (verb): To produce saliva. This refers to the secretion, not the act of expelling it.

Synonyms

• Spit
• Expectorate

Antonyms

• Swallow

Notes

• "Ptyalize" is derived from the Greek , meaning "saliva."
• It is an extremely low-frequency word in modern English.

Verb

1. expel or eject (saliva or phlegm or sputum) from the mouth
   • The father of the victim spat at the alleged murderer