spittoon

noun

spit·​toon spi-ˈtün How to pronounce spittoon (audio)
spə-
: a receptacle for spit

called also cuspidor

Examples of spittoon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There, Henry cleaned toilets and spittoons in exchange for room and board. Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023 This used to be the billiards room, where my paternal grandfather—Carolina’s great-grandfather—worked. CAROLINA: Racking up balls for white men, cleaning their spittoons. Anna Deavere Smith, The Atlantic, 13 Nov. 2023 For 57 years, the team has treated its host city like a spittoon. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2023 There could be 18 brass spittoons at one firehouse. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2023 The spittoon, also known as the dump bucket, is a great tool for the wine lover who's also a wine pro. Mark Stock, Men's Health, 6 Oct. 2022 Former Wisconsin Senator Bob La Follette nearly incited a brawl by threatening to chuck a brass spittoon in 1917. CBS News, 30 Jan. 2021 So the spittoon and the handshaking are interesting examples. The Politics Of Everything, The New Republic, 16 Dec. 2020 Long Meadow Ranch hosts a guest chef farm-to-table dinner series, and Colangelo highlights that Hamel Family Wines in Sonoma, Calif., includes a food pairing and customized spittoons with wine tastings. Stephanie Cain, Fortune, 21 Feb. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spittoon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

spit entry 4 + -oon (as in balloon)

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spittoon was in 1823

Dictionary Entries Near spittoon

Cite this Entry

“Spittoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spittoon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spittoon

noun
spit·​toon spi-ˈtün How to pronounce spittoon (audio)
: a container to spit into

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