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ex·pec·to·rate

(ĭk-spĕktə-rāt′)

v. ex·pec·to·rat·ed, ex·pec·to·rat·ing, ex·pec·to·rates

v.tr.

1. To eject from the mouth; spit.

2. To cough up and eject by spitting.

v.intr.

1. To spit.

2. To clear out the chest and lungs by coughing up and spitting out matter.

[Latin expectorāre, expectorāt-, to drive from the chest : ex-, ex- + pectus, pector-, chest.]

ex·pec′to·ration n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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