sial(o)- Also siala-.
Saliva; salivary gland.
[Greek sialon, saliva.]
A sialagogue (Greek agōgos, eliciting) is a drug that promotes the secretion of saliva; sialorrhoea (US sialorrhea)(Greek rhoia, flow, flux) is excessive production of saliva; a sialolith (Greek lithos, stone) is a calculus, a stony accretion, formed in a salivary gland or duct; sialography is radiographic examination of a salivary gland; sialadenitis is an inflammation in a salivary gland; sialic acid is a substance present in saliva. See also ptyalo-.
Visit Michael Quinion’s World Wide Words site for 2000+ articles on English!
Copyright © Michael Quinion 2008–. All rights reserved. Page last updated 23 September 2008.
Your comments and suggestions on the site are very welcome.