expectorate

UK: /ɪkˈspɛktəˌreɪt/ US: (ik spek′tə rāt′)

Inflections of 'expectorate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

expectorates

v 3rd person singular

expectorating

v pres p

expectorated

v past

expectorated

v past p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•pec•to•rate  (ik spek′tə rāt′), v., -rat•ed, -rat•ing. 
v.i. 

1. Physiology to eject or expel matter, as phlegm, from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting;
   spit.

v.t. 

2. Physiology to eject or expel (matter) in this way.

• Latin expectorātus (past participle of expectorāre to expel from the breast), equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + pector- (stem of pectus) breast + -ātus -ate¹
• 1595–1605

ex•pec′to•ra′tor, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

expectorate / ɪkˈspɛktəˌreɪt/ verb

1. to cough up and spit out (sputum from the respiratory passages)

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin expectorāre, literally: to drive from the breast, expel, from pectus breast

exˌpectoˈration noun

exˈpectoˌrator noun