expletive

nounswear word; exclamation

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Synonyms for expletive

noun swear word; exclamation

More words related to expletive

Word Origin & History

1610s, originally "a word or phrase serving to fill out a sentence or metrical line," from Middle French explétif (15c.) and directly from Late Latin expletivus "serving to fill out," from explet-, past participle stem of Latin explere "fill out," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + plere "to fill" (see pleio-).

Sense of "exclamation," often in the form of a cuss word, first recorded 1815 in Sir Walter Scott, popularized by edited transcripts of Watergate tapes (mid-1970s), in which expletive deleted replaced President Nixon's salty expressions. As an adjective, from 1660s.

Example Sentences for expletive

The Parson blurted an expletive, inflected like the profane.

This expletive was certainly not appreciated by her who used it.

When the word devil is used as a general term or as an expletive the capital is not used.

He drawled the expletive as though it were some Oriental word.

I think it was “hang” he said—I was not sure about the expletive.

I employed an expletive which I am happy to think has not escaped me for years.

She winced at his expletive, which seemed to hint of something stronger, and so was just as bad.

Every expletive that should have been forgotten, I remembered.

She breathed the expletive she learned from her latest companions.

In this use, there is sometimes called an expletive (or filler).

expletive

Synonyms for expletive

More words related to expletive

cries

cry

curse

curses

cuss

dirty word

expletive

Synonyms .css-1u0ksf7{color:#d9d9d9;}for expletive

More words related to expletive

.css-1unrqcp{color:inherit;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}cries

cry

curse

curses

cuss

dirty word

Synonyms for expletive

cries