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Expectorate Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

๐Ÿคฎ
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expectorate

[ษชkหˆspektษ™reษชt ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

medical procedure

To cough or spit out phlegm from the throat or lungs.

Synonyms

cough up, eject, spit out.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
expectorate

Formal medical or scientific setting to describe the action of expelling phlegm or mucus from the throat or lungs.

  • Patients are advised to expectorate into a tissue when they have a respiratory infection.
  • The doctor asked him to expectorate into a sample cup for testing.
spit out

Everyday use for expelling something from the mouth, often food or unwanted substances.

  • He tasted the spoiled milk and immediately spit it out.
  • The child accidentally swallowed a bug and quickly spit it out.
cough up

Informal situation to describe the action of forcefully expelling something from the throat, often phlegm.

  • He had a bad cold and kept coughing up mucus all night.
  • After inhaling smoke, she had to cough up the irritants from her lungs.
eject

General use for forcefully removing or expelling something from within, not necessarily related to the body.

  • The pilot had to eject from the malfunctioning aircraft.
  • The player was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Examples of usage

  • He expectorated into a tissue.
  • The patient was advised to expectorate regularly to clear his airways.
Context #2 | Verb

formal

To expel or discharge from the throat or lungs by coughing or spitting.

Synonyms

cough up, eject, spit out.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
expectorate

Repeated entry
cough up

Use in casual or informal conversation when referring to forcing something out of the lungs by coughing.

  • He had a bad cold and kept coughing up mucus
spit out

Use in everyday conversation when talking about quickly expelling something from the mouth. Can also have a negative or rude connotation.

  • She tasted the spoiled milk and immediately spit it out
eject

Use in general or technical settings when talking about forcefully removing or pushing out something from a container or body.

  • The machine is designed to eject the waste materials automatically

Examples of usage

  • She expectorated loudly during the meeting.
  • He expectorated blood after the injury.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'expectorate'

The word 'expectorate' comes from the Latin word 'expectoratus', which is the past participle of 'expectorare', meaning 'to expel from the chest'. The term has been used in English since the early 17th century to describe the act of coughing or spitting out phlegm.

See also: expect, expectancy, expectant, expectantly, expectation, expectations, expected, expectedly, expecting, unexpected, unexpectedly, unexpectedness.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #37,081, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.