/ ˈsælɪveɪt; NAmE / verb
[ v ] ( formal ) 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.
► sali·va·tion / ˌsælɪˈveɪʃn; NAmE / noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Latin salivat- (having) produced saliva, from the verb salivare , from saliva .